THE DEAD END
by Desktop Dragon
Summary: (Originally posted in 2016) This is how the SVM series of books should have ended and it is nothing like Dead Ever After. I have recently given it an overhaul to try and eliminate typo's and errors. I DO NOT OWN THE SOUTHERN VAMPIRE MYSTERIES STORIES OR ITS CHARACTERS.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHORS NOTE: **

**Originally posted on the site in August 2016 and finished in October 2016.**

**This story has been given a complete overhaul, hopefully removing all typos and errors I missed the first time around. The main story remains intact and has not been altered other than edited in places to improve the flow and remove any plot holes, omissions and errors. **

**oooOOOooo**

**I was a huge fan of the Southern Vampire series of books, I eagerly awaited each new book that came out and I was never disappointed with what Ms Harris produced, that was until we got to book 10 (Dead in the family), after the superb book 9 (Dead and Gone) which was packed with action and had a much darker tone than preceding books and was in my opinion the best book in the series, book 10 was a let down, it was so different and out of character and after book 10 it appeared to me that Ms Harris had lost interest in the series and was looking to end it, the characterisation development deteriorated over the next three books venturing into the totally absurd by the final book. I had a number of ideas how the story 'should' have ended and I made a few notes at the time with a view to posting a FF story of my version of events but it never happened. I have recently re-read the whole series of books and although there were good parts to books 10, 11 and 12 which could have been expanded upon (I'm not going to mention the final book as this was, in my opinion, a complete car crash from beginning to end). I feel the series could have been wrapped up and ended with book 11, so I have decided to revisit those notes I made and have a go and bring the series to a conclusion, parts will mirror the books but other parts will be different. **

**I do not own the Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire series of stories or its characters.**

**THE DEAD END**

CHAPTER 1

I am sitting in my kitchen, sipping my coffee and I'm thinking over the events of last night, Dermot and Claude have already left and I am going through everything that happened once more. The main thing which is going through my mind on a constant loop, are the words of Ocella when he almost gleefully told me I wouldn't keep Eric.

I wonder what hold that sadistic ancient vampire had over Eric, apart from the obvious sire/child relationship. I had learnt some things from Eric about him, but he had always been very reluctant to talk about his maker. From my brief experience of him, he was, in my opinion nothing more than an evil sadistic parasite. In the short time he had been back in Eric's life he had drained him financially and mentally, I had never seen Eric so ...depressed, that is the only word for it, he was despairing of what Ocella would do next to destroy the life he had built here, I could feel that though the bond even though I'm sure Eric would deny every word, but the surge of relief rather than grief I got from Eric when Ocella met his final death nearly knocked me off my feet.

There was absolutely nothing honourable about him. Eric exudes honour and has earned the respect and loyalty of the vampires around him, Ocella was nothing more than a nasty bully and a cowardly weasel and I am glad he is finally dead. I just wish I had been the one to drive the stake through his worthless heart.

I sip my coffee again and think about Coleman, and a wave of sadness overtakes me as I thought about how he must have felt to lose Claudine and the baby, I could understand his homicidal motives as they were borne of grief and loss and didn't blame him for them. I did blame my great grandfather though, if he hadn't been so selfish and tried to approach me when Fintan had forbid him to do so, Claudine would still be alive now and so would her baby. I still can't figure out his motives for wanting to get to know me, it's not as if my miniscule dash of Fae blood was worth anything important, and that connection had only brought heartache and loss. Numerous thoughts are whirling around my head now, and I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed by it all. I feel a tear trickle down my cheek and I brush it away. I need to stop it and focus on today.

**oooOOOooo**

My day thankfully turns out to be a day of blissful mundane, I do all my chores and then head to work for my evening shift at Merlotte's, and when I arrive Sam greets me warmly.

"Hello cher, are you ok?" he asks looking at me carefully, and I wonder if he has heard about the events of last night.

I nod, "I'm fine" I say, offering him a weak smile.

He continues to stare at me for a few moments longer, before he nods and then he returns behind the bar to continue with what he was doing. After getting my instructions from Holly about who wants what, who is waiting for what, and who has what, I do a quick round of my tables and glance out of the window, it's starting to get dark now and as I think this I feel Eric rising through the bond, and I send him a burst of love and happiness, I feel him accept it and then return it, I smile and continue with my work.

I glance around, it's not at all busy tonight, in fact since a new bar opened a short while ago customers have been a bit thin on the ground. 'Vic's Roadhouse' had opened to a fanfare of publicity, and curiosity have seen many of Merlotte's customers go to the rival bar. As I do another round of my tables I glance once more out of the window, and see a dark figure rushing forward, out of instinct I open up my mind and I immediately get the snarly thoughts of a twoey but then I get the distinct thought which makes my blood run cold. _This is for Debbie- die you bitch!_ Then I see the flaming bottle in her hand and I hear myself screaming.

"GET DOWN!" I yell as the window shatters.

I am covered in glass and I feel heat, intense heat and I glance down and see my apron on fire, I scream again and I see Sam run towards me with the fire extinguisher and he blasts me with it, before turning his attention to the flaming bottle and the pile of napkins which have caught light, I pull myself together and grab a pitcher of water from the bar and start putting out the smaller fires which are dotted around.

I wonder if anyone else has been hurt, it is lucky we were so quiet if it had been a normal night with the usual amount of patrons someone could have been seriously hurt, I look around and see Sam evacuating everyone out to the hallway before returning and helping to douse the remaining flames. Eventually the fire is out, nobody is hurt although my legs are hurting, they are stinging and feel hot; and there is a huge mess to clear up and a broken window that needs replacing, I just collapse in a heap on the floor and start to sob.

"Sookie?" Sam asks and he sits beside me and wraps his arm around me. "It's ok" he whispers.

"I'm so sorry Sam," I whisper to him.

"What for?" he asks in surprise looking at me.

"It was my fault," I sob.

"Hush" he says and pulls me closer for another hug. "Don't be silly, if you hadn't reacted so quickly when you saw them, it could have been much worse," he says.

"You don't understand Sam it was..." I stop dead as I hear the door open.

I look up to see Alcee Beck and three guys from the fire department, Alcee scowls at me and I glare right back at him.

"What the hell happened here?" he growls as he takes in the mess.

Sam stands up and greets Alcee and gives him a quick account of what happened. Alcee turns to me and questions me, I tell him what I saw, I take a quick look in his head and he is convinced it is a hate attack because of Sam being a shifter – the revelation of the Weres and shifters hadn't been universally accepted and there was an undercurrent of building animosity.

As I consider putting him right and clearing my conscience, I hear the door burst open and I look across towards it and there stands Eric, his eyes are blazing and his windswept blond hair is hanging around his shoulders he looks ...amazing, I know he must have felt my fear and pain and come to me, I watch as Alcee freezes and stares at the furious vampire who is now stalking towards me, he ignores everyone else in the room and they all let him through without a word.

"Sookie" Eric says and he grabs me and holding my face he stares into my eyes.

"I'm fine honey, I'm ok" I assure him but he shakes his head.

"You are hurt, you were afraid," he says.

His concern for me makes me lose my control and once more I start to sob, Eric doesn't hesitate he takes me in his arms and pulls me towards his cold hard chest, I wrap my arms around him and cling to him.

"I'm fine, but I'm really glad you're here." I whisper.

"I'm taking you home," he says glaring at Sam and Alcee, almost daring them to argue with him.

Sam nods, and Alcee although furious at Eric's high handed attitude also nods, he isn't about to argue with someone as scary looking as Eric. Eric lifts me into his arms and the next thing I realise I am in the car park next to my car.

"Eric, I need my purse – its in Sam's office" I say and he nods, then he vanishes leaving me alone, maybe this wasn't the best idea in the world when the bar has just been firebombed by a crazy person who wants me dead, as I think this I see her, Sandra Pelt steps out of the bushes and walks towards me.

"You are going to die," she hisses at me.

I freeze as she leaps, but there is a blur and I see her crash into the ground, Eric is on top of her snarling, his huge hand wrapped around her throat.

"Eric don't, please don't, not here – Alcee is inside," I plead, but Eric isn't listening, he has latched on to Sandra's throat and is feeding noisily, "Eric please" I beg.

I glance behind me praying that nobody comes out and catches Eric draining Sandra. Thankfully, Eric hears me, I watch as he assumes Herculean control and pulls away, her blood dripping from his fangs and then he grabs the unconscious Were and shoots into the sky. I see my purse on the ground near my feet and pick it up. I know that I won't be bothered by Sandra Pelt again after tonight and surprisingly I am not concerned about her fate. I just want to go home, so I climb into my car and pull out of Merlottes. I am tired and not just physically, I just want some peace, the tears start to fall again as I make my way home.

I am just pulling off the main road when I feel and hear a loud thump on the roof of my car, fear and panic hits me but it is replaced almost immediately with love and comfort and I know at once it is Eric. I pull over and his face appears upside-down outside my passenger window. I can't help but giggle at the ridiculous sight and Eric grins back at me. He jumps off my car and opens the door within seconds he is beside me pulling me into his arms.

"You won't be troubled by Sandra Pelt any further," he says with an empty voice and I nod in understanding of what that means.

"Thank you" I reply gratefully.

He strokes my hair and says nothing for a moment, and then looks down and he gently touches my legs.

"I want to see your legs – you are hurting," he says.

I nod at him, "Let's get home first" I whisper as I pull away from him. We drive the short distance to my house in silence and I suddenly wonder if Dermot and Claude are here, I pull out my phone and call Claude.

"Good evening cousin," he says smoothly.

"Where are you Claude?" I ask without any preamble.

"At Hooligans with Dermot – why?" he asks.

"Because I am at home, with Eric" I say.

"I understand, in which case we will remain here tonight," he says.

"Thank you," I reply and hang up.

We climb out the car and head inside, I automatically head to the fridge for a bottle of blood for Eric but his wraps his hand around my wrist and takes the bottle from me and returns it to the fridge.

"I'm fine, I've fed" he says with a grim finality.

"On Sandra?" I ask.

Eric nods, "I had just risen when I felt your fear, I hadn't had chance to feed I left so quickly, so it was...inevitable" he says with a dismissive shrug.

I smile at him, "You don't need to explain to me, I understand you know, and I'm grateful you came, in fact I've been desperate to see you all day," I pause as I see a lustful glint in his eye.

I shake my head, "Not in that way, we need to talk Eric" I say.

Eric raises his eyebrows and cocks his head to one side as he looks at me questioningly. "Alright, but first I need to see your legs I can still feel your pain and I don't like it" he says.

I nod and watch him as he gently he undresses me, taking care not to catch my legs, he hisses angrily as he sees the red burnt and blistered skin. He lifts me into his arms and carries me to the sofa and sitting cradling me in his lap he bites his wrist and offers it to me.

"Drink Sookie" he demands and I don't argue, I wrap my lips around his wrist and drink from him, almost immediately my legs stop hurting, I look down and see the redness is quickly fading.

"Thank you" I say as I pull away.

Eric leans down and nuzzles my neck, I can feel him hard against me, feeding from him has excited him and now he wants sex, but I really need to talk with him first.

"Eric please, we need to talk" I say.

"What about?" he asks, as he still nuzzles against me.

I tell him about the previous night, what Ocella said to me and then how he saved me by urging me to move out of the way when he was killed by Coleman's sword. Eric stiffens at the mention of his maker and listens intently.

"I don't understand, why did he save me and more importantly why did he say I would never keep you?" I ask.

Eric wraps his arms tighter around me.

"You have to understand something about Ocella. He was a sadist, he saved you so you would live to feel the pain of being separated from me, he knows how you feel about me, he felt it through our bond, and he knows how I feel about you, and he is punishing us both" he says.

"How?" I ask in confusion.

"I told you I would never lie to you Sookie, but I also told you I didn't tell you everything, this is one occasion I do not wish you to know" he says stubbornly.

"Why? If it affects me I should know," I say my anger rising.

"I don't want you to know because I am trying everything in my power to avoid it, and if I succeed everything will be as it should be. Why should I burden you and make you worry about something which may not even come to pass?" He stops speaking and looks at me questioningly.

"You're trying to protect me" I say, immediately understanding his logic.

Eric nods, "I am" he says.

I nod thinking carefully, "Ok I get that, but am I in danger by not knowing?" I ask.

Eric thinks about that for a moment, "there may be repercussions" he says thoughtfully, and yet with irritating evasiveness.

"Then don't you think I deserve to know so I can be prepared?" I ask him reasonably.

Eric stares at me and then he stands and paces the room. "It will give you pain and I don't want to feel your pain" he says.

"Close the bond then," I say with a shrug, "if you tell me I might be able to help" I reason.

Eric paces some more and then seems to come to some decision, he sits beside me and takes my hand.

"My maker sold me to the Queen of Oklahoma" he says coldly.

"Sold you?" I stammer not understanding what he is telling me.

Eric nods, "In the old days it was common for a maker to arrange a marriage for their progeny, it isn't done now but Ocella was never one to move with the times" he says bitterly.

He pauses, and then continues to explain, "He felt my love for you, he believed it made me weak, he was ashamed that I would show emotion, and the fact that emotion was directed towards a human was even more disgraceful to him, this is why he returned, it wasn't just because of Alexei, he wanted to kill you but he couldn't, because he knew if he killed you that would also kill me because we are bonded, plus there was Felipe's oath to protect you which would make me bound to kill my maker if he harmed you" he says.

I stare at him not quite believing what I am hearing, "So Felipe's order comes before a makers order?" I ask.

Eric nods, "fealty to a monarch supersedes fealty to a maker" he says.

I nod understanding immediately where this is going. "So Ocella was mad at you because you love me, and even madder because he couldn't kill me so instead he decided to make us both suffer by arranging you marry someone else meaning you will have to leave me," I say.

Eric nods in silence.

I stand and start pacing, as my mind tries to come up with a solution to this, "does it make any difference now he is dead?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "Possibly, this is why I didn't want to tell you, I wanted to exhaust all avenues before informing you, as I was hoping this would not come to pass" he says.

I nod and pace some more. "I get that, and thank you, but I can try and help you stop this, we are stronger together than apart Eric, we need to work as a team on this," I say.

I see the pride in his eyes and he stands and reaches for me, "You never fail to amaze me" he says, "we just need to buy ourselves some time to work out how to get out of this, I am not even supposed to know about this plan yet," he says.

"And yet you do?" I say with a grin.

Eric stares at me, "Of course I do" he says.

My grin gets wider at his arrogant response, "yeah of course you do, because you are always two or three steps ahead of your rivals" I say proudly.

I start to pace again and suddenly an answer to this comes to me, an answer that seems so deceptively simple and obvious that I need to clarify it.

"We are married by vampire law?" I ask and Eric nods, "So, you would have to divorce me in line with that law to marry this queen?" I ask and Eric nods again.

"How long would that take?" I ask.

"We would sever the bond with the ceremonial knife in the same way it was forged" he says.

"So, I just give you that knife thing?" I ask.

Eric nods, "What are you thinking lover?" he asks.

"So, if we were also married by human law we would have to divorce by human law too, and that being the case, I could contest it, it could take ...months...years maybe," I say waving my hand dismissively, "and don't forget human law trumps vampire law, so I obviously wouldn't see any reason to do the knife thingy until I was divorced by human law first" I add with a grin.

A sly smile creeps across Eric's face as he considers this, "You have the devious mind of a vampire my lover" he says, but then the smile vanishes, "but this would place you in grave danger" he adds.

I snort dismissively, "Just for a change" I say with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"I can't do that to you, I can't willingly and knowingly put you in danger," he says with a shake of his head.

I walk up to him and poke him the chest with my finger, his eyes widen as I do so, "Hey listen here buster, I love you, you love me, people who love each other and who want to spend the rest of their lives together get married, I trust you to protect me just as I hope you trust me to protect you" I say.

Eric stares at me, and then he leaps on me and kisses me, I moan as I run my hands through his hair. He pulls away and the look he gives me is scorching and I know I have got him onboard with my plan.

"We need to move quickly," he says.

I snigger, "we could always go and get married in Vegas, I'm sure Felipe wouldn't mind" I say sarcastically.

Eric throws his head back and laughs loudly then he turns to me his eyes gleaming, "so you want to elope lover?" he says.

My face lights up and I nod at him. "Your proposal could have been better, but yeah I'd like that" I say.

Eric stands, "I need to put plans into action, we will marry tomorrow night in Las Vegas" he says.

I nod and with another kiss he is gone, "wait how am I...?" I stop and collapse on my sofa, I have the confidence that Eric will organise everything, I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

A couple of hours later I am just getting ready for bed after taking a welcome shower when there is a knock at the door; I listen and feel the empty void of a vampire.

"Who is it?" I call.

"It is I" comes the familiar voice. I grin at the sound of Eric's voice and open the door. My jaw drops as I take him in. He is dressed in a tuxedo, his hair is slicked back and tied in a braid down his back and in his hand is a huge bouquet of flowers, I smile widely at him.

"Wow you look nice," I say and he walks past me into the kitchen. He pauses and hands me the flowers.

"Thank you, they are lovely" I say as I accept them from him.

Before I can say anything else, Eric is on one knee in front of me, "Will you marry me?" he asks and as he says this he delves into his pocket and pulls out a box and opens it. My breath catches as I see a beautiful ring, it looks old...very old.

I nod, "yes Eric I will marry you" I say.

I hear clapping and turn to see Pam at the door I smile at her.

"Ready?" she asks and Eric nods.

Eric slides the ring on to my finger and kisses it and then me. "We need to go - now" he says.

I nod, in this moment I will follow him anywhere.

"Where are we going and what's happening?" I ask.

"I have secured a private flight to Vegas this night, Pam is here to pack what you need, we need to leave quickly if we are to arrive before dawn, then tomorrow I have secured a team to come and remove your belongings from this house to my own," he pauses as he sees the surprise on my face.

"It needs to be this way lover, I need you with me so I am able to adequately protect you" he says. I can see he is gearing up for me to argue and fight him on this, but in a sudden moment of clarity I realise this has been the whole problem between us, he doesn't tell me things so I don't trust him and in turn I cling on to my independence, but things have now shifted and we need to be a united front.

I think for a moment and then I take a deep breath and nod. "I understand" I say.

I watch as surprise fills his face but he quickly recovers and nods at Pam who then disappears at vampire speed and returns moments later with 4 cases packed which she dumps in front of me, she looks at me as she waves her hand at them.

"I have packed your entire wardrobe and all your toiletries and human necessities," she says, I watch as she picks them up again and loads them into the car parked outside.

"You are sure about this lover?" Eric asks me looking at me carefully.

I think a moment and then nod, "yes" I reply with confidence and conviction, "come on, lets go" I add.

Eric takes my hand and leads me from my home, I stop and look over my shoulder taking in the house where I grew up, and he watches me do so, then I look up and nod decisively at Eric. I have always fought against him, trying to keep my independence but I realise that I need to let him take charge with this or I will end up losing him.

"I'm ready" I say. "Wait...what about Sam if we are marrying tomorrow night I was due to work?"I say remembering my other obligations.

Eric shakes his head, "Taken care of" he replies, and he shepherds me out to the waiting car. As I climb in I realise I am only dressed in my nightshirt and slippers. I gesture to my outfit and Eric kisses me.

"You look perfect lover" he says.

**oooOOOooo**

I sit in the comfortable seat on the plane and look around at my surroundings. I wonder how much this must have cost, as this is not your run of the mill aircraft, I also wonder how Eric had managed to arrange everything so fast. Eric is talking to Pam and I turn my head to see Thalia sitting quietly in the corner, she is glaring at me I know she doesn't approve of Eric loving me, as far as she is concerned humans are only good for one thing and that is food. I feel the need to speak to her make her realise how much Eric means to me, but she scares me.

"You don't like me very much do you?" I ask, summoning up at the courage I have.

Thalia just stares at me in silence, she is really intimidating, and her cold lifeless eyes are still managing to bore right into me.

I feel my courage slip a little but I push on, "You think I'm a distraction and not good for him don't you?" I ask.

I see Thalia nod but she still says nothing.

"Well, you're wrong!" I say bluntly, "there is nothing I wouldn't do for Eric, I have saved his life and I would kill for him, I have put myself in harms way for him and..." I stop as Thalia silences me by simply raising her hand.

"But you won't allow him to turn you" she spits.

I freeze remembering the conversation we had, where I made Eric promise never to turn me even if I was dying. I go to speak but Thalia holds up her hand again.

"You are a liability, you are human and humans are weak. Eric isn't...rational when it comes to you, he is a warrior and he thinks strategically, he is pragmatic and careful that is why he has survived all these centuries, but since you came into his world you have destroyed that and you will eventually destroy him, you are his weakness and you will end up being the cause of his demise," she stops speaking as Eric walks towards us, I know he has heard everything she has said as she didn't try to speak quietly and vampires have excellent hearing.

"Leave us" he says to her and Thalia simply stands and drifts away.

"Sookie I..." Eric begins, but I stop and press my finger against his lips.

"No, she's right, I am a liability to you, so...I am amending the promise I made you make to me, I still don't want to be turned, unless ...unless there is no other option, if I am in danger of dying then you may turn me" I say decisively.

Eric looks delighted by this and he kisses me "You are sure lover?" he asks.

I nod "I am, but you must promise me that you understand what I am saying, I still want to be human unless there is no other option" I say.

"I understand and you have my word" Eric replies solemnly.

I nod "Also, no secrets, from now on no secrets we tell each other everything no matter how small or insignificant we think it is, we share it and we decide whether or not it is important together, I don't want to be a burden to you Eric, I don't want to be your weakness, I want to be your strength," I say.

"Agreed" Eric says. He pauses then looks at me carefully, "Full disclosure" he says.

I nod, "yes" I say firmly.

"So, if I were to ask you a question, you would answer it honestly?" he asks carefully.

I nod again wondering where this is going and wait for him to speak again.

"Tell me lover, would you have staked Ocella last night - would you have ended my maker?" he asks.

I don't hesitate to answer that, "Yes I would, he wasn't good for you Eric, he was a parasite he was draining you with his presence, I would have staked him and not regretted it for a moment if you hadn't told me not to" I say.

Eric nods, and before he can say anything I continue, "he wasn't a good maker, if he were he would have realised what he was doing to Alexei was compounding his psychosis and making his unpredictable behaviour worse, also I believe he was afraid, he knew he couldn't control Alexei which is why he came to you, he needed you, and because he could feel you loved me, he didn't like it, he knew he didn't have the control over you that he once had, and he wanted that back. You were the best thing Appius Livius Ocella ever did and he needed you more than you needed him and he wanted to reverse that balance of power back to him, I could see all that, I could see what his presence was doing to you and so yes I would have killed him – I would have killed him to free you from him" I say.

Eric glances up over my shoulder, I look around and see Thalia silently staring, and he smiles, "and you say she is a liability, you are wrong, she has a deeper insight and sees things differently, Sookie is an asset, she offers a fresh perspective, with Sookie at my side I will be stronger not weaker" he says.

Thalia says nothing but I see her nod slightly and then turn and leave us. "She still doesn't like me" I say.

Eric snorts, "Thalia likes no-one, Thalia just likes to be left alone" he says.

"So, why is she here?" I ask.

Eric smiles again, "is it not customary in human weddings for the bride and groom to have guests, to witness the union?" he says.

I nod and immediately feel sad as none of my family or friends will be there to see me marry Eric. I know Eric feels my sadness and he touches my face gently.

"You are tired lover, get some sleep" he says.

I glance at my watch, I know the flight is three hours so we should be landing in Las Vegas before dawn with the time difference but it will be close, Eric watches me carefully.

"Everything has been taken care of lover, we will be arriving before dawn and we will be settled before the sun rises, which is why you need to sleep now," he says.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

"Sookie, wake up my lover we have arrived," I feel myself being lifted and I try to open my eyes, I am in Eric's arms and I realise we are leaving the plane – fast.

"What...wait...how?" I mumble in my semi coherent state.

"We need to move quickly, it is close to dawn," Eric says.

"Ok" I mutter and I rest my head against him and close my eyes again.

The next thing I realise I am waking up in a luxurious comfortable bed with the sun pouring in through the window. I get out of bed and look out to see the city of Las Vegas spread out in front of me, I gasp and then memories of last night return to me in a rush.

I glance around the room and I see an envelope with my name on it, I pick it up and recognise the beautiful sloping handwriting, Eric wrote it. I quickly tear it open and read.

_My Lover_

_You were incoherent when we landed so I felt it was best to leave you this message and let you sleep._

_I am here in the hotel with you in the adjoining room to your left; Pam and Thalia are in the room to the right and you have a guard stationed outside your door to protect you, his name is Greg. If you wish to enjoy the facilities of the hotel during the day, do so as I have arranged for you to use everything the hotel has to offer._

_I have had your wedding dress placed in the wardrobe in your room, Pam assures me you will look sensational, I have observed your human tradition of not viewing the dress before I see you wearing it tonight._

_Your brother is on route and should be arriving at some point during the day as I assumed you would want him to be present, as is the shifter, as you seem to consider him a friend._

_I will come to you as soon as I rise tonight and we will marry by your human tradition, although I have considered you to be my wife from the moment you gave me the ceremonial knife._

_E xx_

I read and re read the letter I trace my finger over the elaborate E where Eric has signed and the two kisses he has written beside it. I am speechless he has thought of everything, he how did he arrange everything so fast? As I wonder this, I move over to the wardrobe and gasp at the stunning and very expensive dress hanging in there, Pam has excelled herself as it really is beautiful. I will look and feel like a princess when I wear this, tears start to fall and then I see a box, I pull it out and inside are a pair of matching shoes.

I immediately want to be with Eric; I leave my room and walk into a man outside the door.

"Hello" I say, I listen to him and he is human which surprises me, but he is also very loyal to Eric. "How do you come to be here?" I ask, wondering if he is the guard Eric mentioned in his letter.

"Hello, you must be Sookie Stackhouse, I'm Greg, and I'm your guard for today, just in case! Mr Northman called me and asked me to come and be with you today" he explains, "I'm ex military so I know what I'm doing" he adds with a smile.

As I listen to him I know he is telling the truth, "How do you know Eric?" I ask, genuinely curious to discover how this human is connected with my Viking.

Greg smiles, "My mother and I owe him our lives, she was caught by a young vampire and he was going to kill her, he did it in full view of other humans and caused quite a scene, you have to remember that this was before the vampires became public. I tried to help her but I was only a child at the time and he was just too strong, Mr Northman appeared from nowhere and helped me, he cleaned up the mess that the vampire had caused and glamoured the witnesses to forget what they had seen. He said he was impressed by my protective instincts and he gave my mother some blood to heal, he showed me some hand to hand combat moves and he said I had great potential. You have to remember I was very young at the time. He came to see me periodically, I have no idea how he kept finding us as we moved around and he showed me many techniques of combat and self defence. I joined the military when I left school and the skills Mr Northman taught me came in handy more than once and even saved my life on one occasion. When I left the military I struggled to find work and Mr Northman helped me again, he got me a job with some of his vampire friends as daytime security. He called me out of the blue last night and told me to come here before dawn, I was surprised when he arrived in person – he was carrying you, and he told me that I was to guard you with my life today, I agreed and well that's it" he says with a shrug.

"And Eric is next door?" I ask pointing.

Greg nods, "yes ma'am but you can't get in there, its state of the art vampire safe rooms, your room is too, but obviously as you were asleep, the security features weren't activated".

I nod, "do you know what the security features are?" I ask.

He nods, "yeah steel shutters on the windows – light tight and attack proof, and steel shutters on the inside of the door – nobody is getting through there I can tell you," he says.

I panic slightly as I remember Rhodes, "What if something happens and we _need_ to get in to him?" I ask.

Greg smiles at me, "The entire building has incredibly tight security and anti terrorism measures but the vampire safe rooms are also bomb proof, so even if the hotel is blown up those rooms will remain intact – he will be totally safe until he rises," he assures me.

I nod satisfied that Eric, Pam and Thalia are safe until they rise tonight.

"I am going to get dressed, I am expecting my brother and friend to arrive soon" I say.

Greg nods, "yes ma'am, Mr Northman told me that a..." he pauses and pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and glances at it "Jason Stackhouse and Sam Merlotte were due to arrive today and I was to allow them access to you".

"Allow access?" I say, slightly taken aback by that comment.

Greg nods, "Yes ma'am I am here to protect you so I have to know who is expected to be around you" he says.

"Is Eric expecting trouble?" I ask.

Greg hesitates, "Mr Northman always expects trouble ma'am, and as we are in Felipe's home state, he just wanted to err on the side of caution".

I nod but I wonder what that means and I also wonder if Eric is keeping details from me again. I put the thoughts out of my mind and after I have got changed I decide to explore the hotel. People are falling over themselves to help me and I wonder what Eric has done and said.

After a delicious lunch in the hotel restaurant I am approached by a woman in hotel uniform smiling widely.

"Miss Stackhouse?" she asks and I feel Greg immediately step up at my side.

"Yes" I say returning the smile, I take a quick look into her head and see she has benign intentions, she has been tasked to introduce herself to offer me the services of the hotel spa and I also hear she has arranged for a beautician and hairdresser to help me get ready for my wedding.

"Mr Northman has left instructions with me to offer you the complimentary use of our Spa facilities and to help you get ready for your wedding, is that something you would like to take advantage of?" she asks hopefully.

I nod, I've never been totally pampered, the closest I've ever got was having my hair and make up done when I was commandeered as Halleigh's bridesmaid, and so I am quite excited at the prospect of having a makeover.

As I follow her I hear someone call out to me, I turn and my heart leaps as I see Sam and Jason walking towards me.

"Hey sis" Jason says when he reaches me.

I hug Jason tightly and then turn to Sam, "Hi, thank you both for coming I am so happy you did" I say.

"I wouldn't miss my little sis getting hitched for the world, I have to say I was surprised when I got the call, and it was nice of Eric to pay for my flight, that was real good of him" Jason says, he is clearly impressed by Eric's actions.

I nod but my attention is fixed on Sam who hasn't said anything yet. "Thanks for coming Sam" I say quietly.

Sam just shrugs, "Are you sure you are doing the right thing, you really want to do this?" he asks and I immediately detect something off about his tone of voice, he doesn't approve of my decision.

I stare at him in disbelief, "I love Eric, this is what I want Sam and I really want you to be happy for me, but if you can't then you can turn around and leave right now" I say defiantly.

Sam smiles and relaxes, "I'm sorry cher, of course I'm happy for you, it just all seems kind of sudden," he says.

I smile and touch his arm, "well, technically I have been married to Eric for a while after we did that knife thing, but Eric realised I wanted to be married by human tradition as well as vampire and he arranged everything" I say, this not the entire truth but I am not about to divulge the real reasons why I am doing this.

Sam nods, "You kept it quiet though," he pushes.

I nod, "I know I did" I say, but don't offer any further explanation, because I don't have one.

"Thank you for coming Sam, it means a lot to me, especially considering that you must be really busy clearing up after that bomb last night" I say gratefully.

Jason looks shocked at this and looks from me to Sam and back again, "bomb? What bomb?" he asks.

"Someone threw a petrol bomb through the window of Merlotte's last night" I say dismissively, my attention still focussed on Sam.

Jason's mouth drops open, "Jeez, was anyone hurt?" he asks.

Both Sam and I ignore Jason's question and Sam shakes his head at me, "It's all sorted, the mess was all dealt with last night and so was the window – Eric organised it when he came by and informed me about your wedding," I can't help but notice the slight bitterness of his tone as he says this, but I realise Eric was making sure Sam didn't have any excuses not to come, but I am also under no illusions of how high handed Eric can be.

"Was anyone hurt?" Jason asks again, and we both turn our attention towards him.

"No, I got a bit burnt but I'm fine now, and thankfully it was a slow night" I reply.

Sam also responds to Jason's question, "No, it could have been much worse, but we were lucky," he says.

A slightly awkward silence descends on us and I speak to break it.

"Well, I am going to visit the spa and get pampered, so I look my best for tonight" I say a little too brightly and I fear my crazy Sookie smile is in place.

Jason grins at me, "I'll see you later then sis" he presses a swift kiss to my cheek and then turns to leave, Sam hesitates and looks hard at me.

"Thank you for coming Sam," I say again and Sam just nods before he too walks away leaving me to watch him go. They both look back towards me and promise that they will catch up with me later.

**oooOOOooo**

I am feeling relaxed and happy, I feel wonderful, I have had the works in the spa, I check out my manicured nails and threaded eyebrows and I have even had a haircut as well as having it styled. My make up took my breath away and I know Eric will be pleased when he sees me as I have never looked so good. As I think about Eric I feel him rising and it makes me look at the clock and am shocked by the time, I have been here all afternoon, I start to worry wondering how much money I have cost Eric with my pampering. I want to see him, I know it's supposed to be bad luck but I need to see him. I thank the beautician and she wishes me luck as I leave. I head up to my room and waiting inside is Pam. Her eyes widen and she stares at me with her mouth hanging open.

"What?" I ask, concerned by her reaction.

"You look...wow," she says, and she walks towards me, taking me in. "Eric is going to be so happy" she adds as she continues to stalk around me.

"He isn't going to be so happy when he gets the bill, I got a bit carried away and now I'm worried I've taken advantage" I say nervously.

Pam throws her head back and laughs, "Oh my god Sookie, its your wedding day, you are entitled to spend money to look your best, trust me when I say Eric can afford it and he will be delighted that you made full use of the facilities, he wanted to do it for you, and you look wonderful, your hair looks fantastic" she says.

I smile at her, "Thank you Pam, are you here to help me get ready?" I ask.

Pam nods, "I am, this is the closest I will ever get to a human wedding and I am intrigued by the process and its superstitions" she says with a grin.

"Didn't you ever want to get married or anything?" I ask.

Pam shakes her head, "No, I was betrothed, my family arranged it, my father saw it as a good business deal to be linked to the family of my intended, we were pushed together at every possible opportunity, he also thought it would bring me into line but I was too wild for him and he was too boring for me," she says.

"But you were...betrothed, what does that mean?" I ask.

"Engaged to be married, yes he asked me to marry him, he even gave me a ring" Pam points to the ring on my finger.

"That was the ring he gave me, I wanted you to have it, when Eric told me he was going to marry you in line with the human tradition of marriage, I immediately gave him the ring to give to you, I wanted it to go to two people who are genuinely in love, as it was wasted on me, and... well, it could be considered a family heirloom and as I have no children to pass it on to, and you are marrying my maker, so you are the closest to family that I have," she stops speaking and I stare at the ring.

"Oh my god Pam, thank you I will treasure it always" I say and before I can stop myself I hug her, I pull away quickly as I feel her stiffen. "Sorry" I add as she growls menacingly.

"Don't do that again," she spits at me.

"I won't" I say sheepishly.

Pam helps me get into my dress, and I push my feet into the shoes, and as Pam is placing the veil on my head there is a knock at the door.

"Are you decent?" is the shout and I giggle as I recognise Jason's voice.

"Come in Jason" I call, and the door opens.

"Wow sis you look...hell you scrub up well!" Jason says his jaw hanging on the ground.

I do a double take, he is wearing a tuxedo and he looks very smart, "So do you" I say.

Jason grins, "Yeah this was waiting for me in my room," he says. He glances at Pam and nods in greeting to her.

I realise Eric must have got it for him and my love for him increases even more. "You look really nice" I say.

"Well I got to look my best to give away my baby sis" he says.

I feel the tears pricking my eye lids, "Thank you Jason" I say.

"Do you have your something old, new, borrowed and blue?" he asks.

I pause and think, "Old, my engagement ring" I glance at Pam gratefully, "new – my dress is new, blue...oh wait I'm wearing...never mind" I say and blush, "I don't have anything borrowed" I say and look at Jason, who pats his pockets and then shrugs apologetically.

"Yes you do," Pam says and she produces an ancient looking box, inside is a pearl necklace, I gasp when I see it.

"Oh Pam, that's beautiful," I say as I stare at it in awe.

She lifts the necklace from the box and fastens it around my neck, "This is mine, it is the only thing I kept from my human days which means something to me, these pearls belonged to my grandmother, she was the only person who truly understood me, as she too had a wild streak, I brought them with me, as I intended to ask you if you wanted to borrow it, as I was aware of your superstition" she says wistfully.

"But you kept your engagement ring as well?" I ask.

Pam smiles, "the only reason I still have that is because I was wearing it the night I met Eric, the necklace I went back for."

I touch the necklace, not quite able to comprehend just how old it is "Thank you, I'll take real good care of it" I say.

Pam nods, "I know you will" she says and then she turns and glances at the clock, "Well if you are ready, Eric is getting impatient" she adds.

I close my eyes and sure enough I feel his impatience through the bond, I send him a wave of love and I feel him receive it and send it back with such force I gasp.

We leave the room and head downstairs to a small room in the hotel, when the door opens I see it has been transformed with flowers everywhere, I look and see Eric waiting for me with Thalia at his side and on the other side stands Sam and Greg. A hotel official beams at me and hands me a small bouquet of flowers and tells me I look beautiful. Pam smiles and then at vampire speed she darts towards Eric and stands beside him.

"Ready?" Jason says as he holds out his arm to me and I nod, I slip my hand through his arm and I make my way towards Eric.

I watch Eric's eyes widen as he watches me approach and I see his fangs extend, I feel the wave of love and lust bombarding me and I grin at him.

"Lover" he whispers as I reach him.

**oooOOOooo**

The wedding ceremony passes in a blur. Eric pushes a wedding band on to my finger and to my surprise he also produces one for me to give to him. I look into his eyes and the possessive love that burns in them is overwhelming, I glance at Thalia who is standing silently beside Eric and she just glares at me, I turn and see Sam who is giving the exact same look to Eric. I focus on my husband, I feel really married to him, now I really feel like Mrs Northman, and it feels right.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride," the human officiate says, and Eric doesn't need telling twice, as he swoops on me.

"Mine" he whispers, "my wife" he adds and he kisses me fiercely.

As I pull away to catch my breath, I look up at him, "and you are mine," he growls contentedly at my words and leans in once more, but I press my hand against his chest, "we are a team, Mr and Mrs Northman, together as one," I say to him and he growls again before kissing me once more.

"Are you hungry?" Eric asks suddenly as my stomach rumbles loudly, I blush and rub my stomach.

"Maybe a little," I say.

"Then you will have food," Eric says grandly.

We head to a private dining room where there is beautiful catered buffet and a selection of bottled blood on offer, Sam and Jason make straight for the food and Pam grabs two bottles of blood and hands one to Thalia who takes it, but looks at it distastefully, I know she doesn't like bottled blood preferring to feed from donors. This makes me realise that she is making a huge concession and compromising everything she believes in, just by being here and I realise just how loyal she is to Eric to do that. Eric follows me to the food table and watches me take some food.

"Make sure you eat well to keep your strength up, you are going to need it tonight" he says as he nips at my neck.

I shiver, the desire coursing through me. "Have you fed?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "Not yet, I'll get some blood in moment," he says nodding towards the bottles.

I grab his arm and shake my head, "No, I want to feed you tonight. Can you wait until we are alone? I want to be the one who gives you everything you need tonight" I say.

Eric's eyes blaze and he nods, "Thank you, that means more to me than you will ever know" he says and he caresses my cheek with his finger, it goes downwards and then he touches the pearls and recognition registers on his face.

"These are Pam's" he says.

I nod, "yes she lent them to me, they are my 'something borrowed', I told her I would take good care of them" I explain.

Eric looks at me in confusion, so I quickly explain.

"It's a human tradition, when a girl marries she has to have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue on her as she does so, as its meant to be good luck".

Eric smiles and nods understanding what I am saying, "What are your talismans?" he asks, genuinely interested.

"Old, my engagement ring – again courtesy of Pam, she told me of its history and I will always treasure it, new, my beautiful dress- thank you, something borrowed, the pearls Pam lent me, and blue...well," I pause and blush and I see Eric immediately step closer, very interested.

"Tell me lover, are you wearing the blue lacy underwear I bought you?" he says his hands running restlessly over my dress.

I nod and he growls again and presses himself against me and I feel his arousal.

"Sookie," I turn and see Sam, Eric stiffens and wraps his arm possessively around me, and I wonder what was said when Eric went to see Sam to cause such hostility between the two.

"Sam, thank you for coming" I say sincerely.

"You are more than welcome, I came for you, because you are my friend, I can see you love him and I just hope he appreciates what he has," he says giving Eric a meaningful look.

"I am fully aware shifter" Eric says coldly.

I squeeze Eric's cold hand "Sam, I'm going to be fine, Eric loves me and we are a team" I say proudly.

Sam smiles at me, "I hope so cher" he says, he glances at Eric and then kisses my cheek, "be happy Sookie" he says, he nods at Eric who returns the nod and then he moves away.

Next to approach is Jason who is beaming widely, he pulls me into a hug and tells me how beautiful I look then I watch as he thrusts his hand out towards Eric, I cringe at the gesture but Eric to his credit accepts the outstretched hand and shakes it firmly.

"Welcome to the family" Jason says.

I cringe again, but Eric takes Jason's clumsiness in his stride and is polite to him even though I can tell he is very irritated by my brother.

After Jason moves away I look up at Eric, "Thank you for not making Jason look like an idiot" I say.

"He is your family," Eric says simply as if that should answer everything. The next person to approach us is Thalia and I grip Eric's hand, as I am scared.

She ignores me and turns her attention to Eric, "You have your reasons for the decisions you make Viking, I hope you do not regret this one" she says.

As I think she isn't going to bother saying anything to me, she turns, her cold dead eyes boring into me, "Betray or dishonour him and I will drain you" she says, and I know that wasn't an idle threat, she meant every word.

"I have no intention of betraying or dishonouring him" I say trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

Thalia nods at Eric and walks away. "She really doesn't like me" I say.

Eric squeezes my hand but doesn't say anything.

I eat some more food and I can tell Eric is anxious to commence our wedding night, the scorching looks he keeps giving me and the overwhelming lust and love I am being bombarded with through the bond gives me all the indication I need.

"Are you ready?" I ask him and I pull his hand gently.

Eric's fangs descend and he nods.

"Wait" I say and I carefully unclip the pearls. "I don't want to lose them or get them damaged, let me return them to Pam" I say.

Eric nods and watches me as I cross the room with the pearls in my hand. "Pam" I say and she turns towards me, I hold out the pearl necklace towards her.

"Thank you so much for letting me borrow them, I thought I'd give them back now as Eric and I are going up to our room and I didn't want anything to happen to them" I say and then blush.

Pam smiles, "I will close the bond I don't wish to know what my maker is doing tonight" she says.

I stare at her, "You know when we are...?" I stop and blush even redder.

Pam laughs, "I always know, but I close the bond as I don't wish to know" she says.

I stare at her at a loss to know what to say to that and she laughs again, "Go and be with your husband, I could give you some tips on what Eric likes but I don't think you will need them" she teases.

"Oh god, Pam!" I exclaim, and she laughs even harder.

When I reach Eric he looks at me questioningly, "What was all that about?" he asks.

"Pam just told me she knows when we...you know," I say.

Eric laughs, "She is my child, we too have a blood bond" he says as if it is the most normal thing in the world that someone knows instinctively when you are being intimate with someone.

We move towards the room I slept in last night, I open the door and stop dead in shock at the figure waiting inside, Eric is immediately in front of me, protecting me, he is hissing and ready to strike.

"Step aside vampire," the familiar voice says.

"Niall, how?" I ask.

"You are my kin and word reached me that you got married, so I wanted to see you" he says, I don't fail to note the disapproval in his voice, is he pissed because I didn't invite him or because I married Eric?

I stare at him, I am still feeling more than a little resentful towards him, "Did you know Colman came to kill me?" I ask.

To my surprise Niall nods, "Why do you think I sent Claude to live with you and protect you?" he says dismissively.

"If you had just stayed away in the first place that wouldn't have been necessary, Colman, Claudine and her baby would still be alive and there wouldn't have been the unrest in the Faery" I say sharply.

"You are not happy to see me?" Niall says and he looks genuinely surprised by my outburst.

"I don't trust you, I have no idea what your motives are" I say bluntly.

Niall looks sad, "I just wished to get to know my kin" he says.

"What about Dermot, he's your son and you never bothered with him, you even went as far as cursing him?" I retort.

Niall's eyes flash with anger at my accusation, "Dermot was cursed but not by me, he was cursed by Breandon" he says. "I knew the only way for him to be cured was to be kissed by you, it was a curse to lure you to us so Breandon could kill you and if Dermot failed to kill you while cursed, Breandon would have known how to reach you".

"Why did you want to know me?" I ask.

"You are my kin" he says simply.

"Eric is my kin now too, I have married him by human and vampire tradition, so, do you want to be related to him as well?" I ask.

I see the distain cross his face and he remains silent.

I snort derisively, "I thought not, yet you weren't beneath using Eric to get to me in the first place" I say.

The silence spreads out between us, I look at my great grandfather, "if you want to do something honourable, there are a number of Fae who got left behind when you closed all the portals, they want to return to your world but they can't so they have all gathered together at Hooligans, if you want to do something good go there and take them with you when you return to your world and don't bother coming back," I say.

Niall nods, "I won't bother you any further" he says, he turns to Eric, "You will protect and honour my great granddaughter?" he asks.

Eric nods, "I will" he says.

Niall nods back and then with a small pop he is gone.

I turn to Eric "What the hell was that all about?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "He was letting us know he knew and he was watching, I don't trust that old fairy, he is definitely up to something" he says.

I shake my head, "I don't want to think about him tonight" I say and I press my hand against Eric's chest. This focuses his attention back on me and he leads me towards the bed.

"Eric before we… I want to feed you," I say.

He nods, "I know, and I am hungry so come here," he says and in a moment he is completely naked I stare at him in appreciation, he slowly unfastens the dress and hisses when he sees my underwear, he pulls me on to the bed and settles me in between his legs. I push my hair out of the way and tilt my neck giving him free access, I shiver as he licks and sucks at my neck, I close my eyes as his fangs pierce my skin and he starts to drink, he has made the moment pleasurable and sensual, his hands start wandering over me and he makes a noise of appreciation as he drinks, he is enjoying himself. Abruptly he stops and licks the wounds healing them, and then he bites his wrist and offers it to me.

"Drink, my wife and make our blood bond stronger" he says.

I latch on to his wrist and drink his blood, he moans and I feel him getting more and more aroused. I pull away and look up at him.

"Enough?" he asks, I nod and in an instant I am beneath him, he is kissing me and loving me, "This is best" he murmurs and then before I know it he is pushing into me and we lose ourselves in each other. When Eric eventually comes to a climax, he calls out in an ancient language as he throws his head back in ecstasy.

"My wife" he says and he pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly.

"I love you Eric" I whisper to him.

I feel him smile, and in response he starts again with round two.

**oooOOOooo**

It is nearly dawn when Eric is finally satisfied and I am exhausted and bruised. Eric bites his finger and rubs blood around my swollen sore tissue, I moan as I am so sore but I feel myself healing with his loving touch.

"Better?" he asks.

I nod, "Yes thank you" I say. I look at the clock, "Dawn is coming" I say and Eric nods.

"I'm so tired I guess I will sleep the day away!" I say.

Eric grins, and I realise that was probably his plan, he wants to rise with me, I watch him leave the bed and set in place the security measures which will keep him safe in his day death. I watch as heavy shutters slam down and thick bolts are shot into place. I swallow hard and my unease must be passing to him through the bond as he pauses and turns to look at me.

"Does this concern you?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, you need to be safe and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be seeing much of the day I'm so tired" I say.

Eric returns to me "Besides I want to wake up with my husband" I say and Eric slides into the bed beside me, I snuggle into his side and we both slowly drift off, me into sleep and Eric into day death.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

I open my eyes and look up into the face of my husband, which is filled with amusement.

"Good evening wife of mine" he says.

"Hmmm" I murmur and rub my eyes, "What time is it?" I ask.

"Time you were waking up, you have slept the day away and even I rose before you" Eric says playfully.

I smile at him, "I liked falling asleep with you and waking up to you" I say. That is all the encouragement Eric needs to cover me with his body and show me how much he likes waking up to me as well.

I am recovering when there is a knock at the door, Eric looks at me, "who is it, wife of mine?" he asks.

I open my mind and listen and I feel two voids and a human...I listen harder and realise its Greg, "Two vampires and Greg" I say.

Eric nods, "It must be Thalia and Pam he says and walks towards the door peeping through the spy hole then he opens the door.

"Good evening" he says as the two vampires stalk into the room, Greg follows and he looks grim.

"What's happened?" I ask immediately on alert at their demeanour.

"Felipe knows we are here," Pam says.

"We need to go now" Thalia adds.

"Explain" Eric snaps.

The two vampires turn towards Greg who starts to speak.

"During the day, I saw two men hanging around while I was guarding the floor and they seemed to walk past more times than was necessary, so I approached them and they claimed to be looking for an associate who was staying here, I asked what room they were looking for and offered to help them but they refused... quite politely, but they refused, a short while later two more men were also seen hanging around, I informed the hotel security and they were searched, they were employees of Felipe – working for the area local sheriff and if I were to guess I would say they were all Weres of some description, but I can't be certain of that. My theory is, they were staking out the rooms to see who was in here as they had made enquiries as to how many vampires were staying in the hotel."

"How would Felipe know we are here?" I ask.

"Victor" Pam says.

"It makes sense" Eric says and paces around as he thinks things over.

"It may be simply the area sheriff being nosy, but I am not prepared to take the risk, alright, well I had planned to leave tonight to return to Louisiana, and now I think, the sooner the better".

With that Pam speeds around our room and seconds later all our belongings are packed and ready to go.

Eric seems to remember Greg and turns towards him, "Thank you" he says.

"Any time Mr Northman, you know that" Greg replies.

Eric nods and pulling out his wallet hands Greg a wad of bank notes. He takes them and thanks Eric again before turning towards me.

"It was nice to meet you Mrs Northman" he says politely.

I smile at him, "And you too Greg, stay safe" I say, Greg nods and says goodbye to Pam and Thalia and then with that is gone.

I look at Eric and then at Pam and ask the question which I am now bursting to ask, "why is it a bad thing if Felipe knows we are here?" I am wondering what I am missing here.

"We didn't ask permission from Victor to leave Louisiana and enter Nevada, so if Felipe knows we are here then so will Victor," Pam says with disgust.

"You need permission to travel?" I ask incredulously.

Thalia nods, "It has always been a directive to seek permission from the area you intend to visit, but not from your home governance, until now, it would appear that a directive from Victor was conveniently made shortly after we had left Louisiana, anyone would think he was watching you and is trying to gather evidence to end you," she says looking at Eric.

He shrugs "Nothing I haven't faced before," he says dismissively.

I am horrified by this and I look from Eric, to Pam and then to Thalia and back to Eric.

"Why does he keep doing this?" I ask.

"Victor doesn't like it that he is only a regent, he wanted to be named King, he also doesn't like it that Felipe swore to protect you, as that makes life harder for him to get at Eric through you without making himself look bad, for example when he prevented Eric coming for you when Neave and Lochlan captured you, and he really doesn't like it that Eric has you as he thinks he, as regent, should have you." Pam explains.

She pauses at my expression, "you are viewed as a commodity Sookie, a status symbol, to have a telepath in ones employ is considered a great asset and so therefore it makes Eric powerful to have such an asset, that angers Victor as he also believes it elevates Eric's position and status above his own and he believes it is his right to possess you to consolidate his status and position. He was furious when Eric married you in line with vampire law and he witnessed it and he will like it even less when he gets word that you have now also married Eric by human tradition as well as vampire law, as human law supersedes vampire law which makes it even harder for him, or Felipe for that matter, to separate you from Eric, without bringing unwanted attention to themselves, and also he doesn't like it because Eric is older, stronger, cleverer and more liked and respected by the vampires of the area and that he commands their respect and loyalty effortlessly, while he, the regent, is reviled, it makes him worried that a coup could be staged and he could be overthrown and killed" Pam says.

I listen to all she has said and decide to point out the obvious as I see it. "So, if Eric has all these things in his favour, and Victor is obviously feeling so threatened by him, then why don't we just prove him right, why don't we just get rid of him? You know, I'm still smarting from how he sent Corinna and Bruno after us that night and I'm sick of being treated as an object! Am I missing something here? It seems quite simple to me, as far as I can see Victor has got to go, we have to end him" I say.

Eric looks at me with pride and love, while Pam and Thalia just stare at me in shock.

"What?" I ask, "I am not a commodity, asset or status symbol for anyone and if he is going to try and make life difficult for my husband because he can't get what he wants then he deserves all he gets" I add with more than a hint of indignation. I feel Eric's pride in me growing even more.

"I was wrong about you breather, you are thinking like a vampire, there is hope for you yet" Thalia says grudgingly.

I stare right back at her, "My name is Sookie, not breather" I say and I see Pam's mouth twitch with amusement. I'm not sure what possessed me to say that, I realise it must be Eric's blood and his emotions which are flowing through the bond that is making me brave, I look towards my husband.

"Well are we going then?" I ask wanting to leave before I say anything else which is likely to get me killed.

Eric is smiling widely and I am being overwhelmed by his love and pride, he moves towards me and picks me up, "hold on" he says and to my surprise he leaps out of the window.

"What about Pam and Thalia?" I ask shouting above the whistling wind around us as Eric flies through the night sky.

"If we are being watched, they will see Pam and Thalia checking out, they do not have the same target on them as I do, plus they will then follow Pam and Thalia, leaving us free to return to Louisiana" he explains.

"What about them?" I shout.

"They will be fine, as I say it's me Victor has the problem with. They will get back" he assures me and I can't help but notice the confidence in his voice.

**oooOOOooo**

We fly around for a while to make sure we haven't been spotted and followed, but eventually we reach the plane and climb on board, I am surprised to note our luggage is already here I stare at it and then jump violently when Pam appears.

"How?" I ask.

"We were observed when we checked out and then followed until Thalia...disposed of them" Pam says with a grin.

I watch Eric smile, "she is safe?" he asks.

"Of course I am Viking, what do you take me for?" An indignant voice says, I turn and see Thalia walking towards us.

"Lets go home then" Eric says.

We are soon in the sky and heading back to Louisiana.

"Eric, can I ask you something?" I say, once we are in the sky and flying towards Louisiana.

"Yes of course my wife" he says, as he turns towards me and gives me his undivided attention.

My stomach lurches as he says those words, it means so much more now, I look at him carefully, "How did you get everything organised so quickly, I mean the wedding and everything?" I ask.

Eric looks at me and smiles, "I already had everything planned, it was just a question of putting those plans into action. I had already planned to marry you in line with your human traditions and so I already had all the arrangements in place, I was just waiting for the right time to put it to you, but you beat me to it with your unique plan to buy us time and thwart my makers meddling" he says.

"You were planning to...?" I stop, shocked that he really _wanted_ to do this anyway, and that our wedding wasn't just a convenient plan to stop Ocella's plot.

Eric nods, "I realised you felt deceived when I arranged for you to give me the knife at Fangtasia, the reason you refused to acknowledge our marriage or accept me as your husband confirmed that for me, I did not intend for you to feel that way and I wanted to show you that although my reasons for doing it were primarily to keep you safe and out of Felipe's clutches, I also did it because ...I love you and I _wanted_ you to be my wife, I am proud to be your husband and I wanted you to be proud to be my wife and I realised that for you to gain that pride I would need to marry you in line with your traditions" he stops and waits for me to speak, but I am speechless.

I had no idea he loved me that much, he has just admitted he loves me which for a vampire is a huge thing, and he risks being seen as weak for just saying it. I feel bad about accusing him of tricking me into marrying him when all he was doing was trying to keep me safe. I don't hesitate I stand up and walk over to him and climb into his lap.

"I love you and I am very proud to be your wife" I say as I rest my head against his cool chest, I go over his words once more and it also plants a small seed of an idea of how I can prove to him just how much I love him into my head.

**oooOOOooo**

It is a race against time to get back to Eric's home before dawn, Pam and Thalia take the guest pods and I head with Eric towards his room, he looks surprised that I am doing so.

"You want to sleep with me in here?" he says.

I nod, "Of course I do, you are my husband," I say.

I feel his joy at my words as he leads me into the bedroom then he turns and locks the sturdy door, he looks at me carefully and hesitates a moment then he seems to come to some sort of decision, I am surprised when he slides under the bed rather than getting into it and he is still watching me closely.

"I am placing a great deal of trust in you my wife" he says. I realise with those seemingly simple words that this is monumentally huge, he is about to show me his resting place, a closely guarded secret for any vampire. I follow him underneath the bed and watch as he disappears under the floor, as I also drop down I am shocked to see I am in yet another room with a comfortable bed and all the creature comforts anyone would need.

"If you wake before I rise, feel free to leave this area and make yourself at home in the main house" he says as he replaces the floorboards and shoots the final heavy bolts across to secure them, "it is your home too now" he adds quietly.

I nod and climb into the bed, Eric slides in beside me and pulls me into his arms.

The next time I open my eyes I have no idea what time it is, the windowless underground room not giving any indication of the time of day. I detach myself from Eric and make my way out. I struggle slightly with the floorboards but eventually I manage to get out. I secure everything as much as I can before making my way into the main part of the house. The house is still and silent, as I look around I see the sun is shining and I go in search of a clock. I find what I am looking for and discover it is nearly midday, I am now at a loose end until Eric rises and I wonder what to do, I head into another room and I find my purse, I dig around inside and find my phone, I check it and call Sam and Jason to make sure they got back from Las Vegas ok.

First of all I call Jason, "Hello" he says by way of greeting.

"Hi Jason, you got back ok then?" I ask.

"Oh hi Sookie, yeah I'm good, look I didn't like to say anything with all the vamps around but you know if things don't work out with Eric I won't judge you because you decided to hitched to a deader."

I stare at my phone not sure what to say to that, "Thanks" is all I can manage and this seems to be enough for him.

My next call to Sam is likely to be more uncomfortable, I have no idea what Eric has done about my job, do I even have one now? Plus the obvious hostility between Eric and Sam at the wedding points to the fact words have been spoken between the two, I dial Sam's number and wait.

"Sam Merlotte" he says and I smile at his familiar voice.

"Hi Sam, its Sookie I was just checking in, letting you know I'm back and checking that you got back ok" I say.

"Oh hello cher yeah I got back fine," he says and then there is a brief moment of silence.

"Do I still have a job?" I ask.

"If you still want one then you have one" Sam says kindly.

"Thank you Sam" I say with more than a hint of relief in my voice.

"Look, take the rest of the week off, talk it over with...your husband and let me know what you want to do, but if you still want to work here then I would be more than happy to have you," he says.

"Thanks for being so understanding" I say sincerely.

"No problem" Sam says, there is another brief silence then he speaks again. "Look I have to go" he says awkwardly.

"I understand Sam, and thank you once again for coming to Vegas, I'm glad you came" I say.

"No problem... look, if things don't work out with Eric or if you ever need me, well you know where I am" he says.

"Thank you Sam, I appreciate that" I say.

We say our goodbyes and despite the obvious awkwardness, I feel much happier now I have spoken to him, I wonder if my belongings have been brought here, Eric said that they would be, I head into the kitchen and find a clip board with a checklist, its an inventory of all my belongings, I go upstairs and into the bedroom I normally stay in when I am here, and I the first thing I see is boxes of my belongings in here, seeing everything here like this brings it home to me what I have done and I glance down at the rings on my finger and I smile, yes I made the right decision.

I wonder briefly what happened after my rant at Niall, I wonder if he did as I asked and collected all the abandoned Fae who had gathered at Hooligans. I pause and out of curiosity I call the club. I get the answering machine which I find strange as there is always someone there to pick up. Perhaps they have all gone back to the Faery? I look outside and see my car parked in the driveway, I decide I need to head back to Bon Temps, I think about the wisdom of going alone during the day, there are no vampires awake to hassle me but Victor is bound to have humans and probably Weres working for him so I don't want to risk it, plus because I left Eric's resting place, he isn't as secure as he would be had I slept somewhere else. I realise that I am effectively a prisoner here until Eric wakes and I can discuss with him how my days and nights are going to be from now on.

My stomach grumbles and I head back downstairs, I wonder if I will need to head to the grocery store, Eric bought a toaster and coffee machine for me to use while I am here, but more than once he has failed to have any coffee or bread in the house, I look in the cupboards and fridge and I step back in shock, all my favourite foods are in here, stacked neatly beside his stock of bottled blood. I open another cupboard and find all my cooking utensils from my kitchen at home and my heart almost bursts with love at Eric's thoughtfulness. I quickly make myself an omelette and sit at the kitchen table and eat it. When I have finished I clean up and then resume my exploration of Eric's ...our home. As I look around the lounge I remember finding Eric here after Alexei went on his rampage, dejected and in pain. I go back upstairs and start to unpack my boxes of belongings. The next thing I know I feel Eric rising and as I go to greet him I turn to see him standing in the doorway completely and unashamedly naked.

I stand and walk towards him, "Hi" I say as I wrap my arms around him.

"My wife" he says and he kisses my head.

He leads me over to the bed and I know exactly what he has on his mind, I undress slowly and watch as his fangs descend as he gets more excited.

"I want you" I say as I reach for him, he closes his eyes briefly and then in seconds he is on me.

"This is best" he growls and I have to agree with him, it really is.

When we eventually emerge from the upstairs bedroom and Eric has sorted himself out and got dressed I warm him some blood and give it to him, he fed from me when we made love but it feels like the normal thing to do for him.

"What do you want to do tonight?" Eric asks me as he accepts the bottle and then drains it.

"Well, I was hoping to head over to Bon Temps, I need to talk to Sam about my job and I want to check my house is ok, we need to talk about both of those things, I mean I've always worked and I don't see me being happy if I'm not working" I pause, watching Eric's reaction and I see him consider what I said.

"Come and work with me at Fangtasia" he says.

I think about that and nod, "I'd like that" I say.

I watch as Eric smiles at my easy acceptance. "Shall we go to Bon Temps?" he says.

I nod and grab my coat, and slip my hand into his.

"We shall take your car my wife" Eric says and I stare at him in surprise, I was expecting us to go in the Corvette, and immediately I realise he is up to something as a sly smile plays on his lips.

"What are you planning?" I ask.

Eric says nothing but leads me outside, and where my car was parked earlier there now stands a brand spanking new Camaro I stare at it and run my fingers over it.

"Oh my god Eric" I gasp, "this isn't for me?" I ask totally overwhelmed.

"Indeed it is, do you like it?" he asks.

"Like it ...I love it! But I can't accept it, it's too much" I exclaim.

Eric's demeanour hardens and his eyes turn to flint and I realise immediately I have insulted him, but it goes against everything I am and everything I know, but on the other hand I realise he wanted to do this for me, because he loves me, I take a deep breath and try and salvage the situation.

I turn towards him and hug him and kiss him. "You are spoiling me, I don't need gifts Eric, I have the greatest gift of all and that's you" I say.

"I need you to be safe when I cannot be with you and your old car was… unacceptable" he says and in that moment when I hear those words I swallow my pride and graciously accept the gift.

"Thank you Eric, I love it and I'm sorry if I offended you, it was just a bit of a shock that's all, it's not every day someone buys you a flashy new car" I say.

I feel him bombard me with love as he hears my words and I know I have managed to make things right.

Eric pulls the keys from his pocket and hands them to me.

"Shall we go my wife?" he asks.

I nod and climb in to the car, Eric climbs in beside me and we head off to Bon Temps.

**oooOOOooo**

We go to my home first and look around, all my furniture is still here but the house has been gutted of all my personal effects.

"All your belongings are at our home" Eric says carefully.

I nod, "Yes they were all there but there are also some items of furniture I would like to keep too" I say.

Eric nods, "just say what you want and I will have it moved for you" he says.

"Thank you" I say.

"Can we keep this house too?" I ask.

Eric nods, "Of course we can, this house and area is part of who you are Sookie" he says.

"I wonder if Niall took all the Fae back to the faery?" I ask absently, almost to myself.

"Yes he did" Eric replies.

I spin on the spot and look at him questioningly.

"I made enquires after your... discussion with Niall, they have all gone and the Faery has been sealed, you won't be troubled by them anymore" he says.

The sense of relief I feel at these words is unbelievable, but I also can't help thinking of all the trouble, the heartache and death caused by my grandfather just to satisfy his selfish need to meet me.

"I'm glad" I say, somewhat lamely. I look around "this could be our get away home when we want some time alone away from it all" I say.

Eric nods, "I've always liked this house, it has this...feeling about it" he says.

"Niall always said it was because of the Fae magic in the land" I explain, "Dermot and Claude liked it here too" I add.

After a few moments I take Eric's hand and we make our way to the car when I hear a noise behind me, I spin around and look towards the woods and Eric is immediately on alert.

"Show yourself" Eric demands.

A figure steps out of the trees and I relax, "It's only Bill" I say, as I recognise the figure.

Bill walks closer but doesn't say anything.

"Hi Bill, you are looking much better, is Judith still with you?" I ask politely.

Bill shakes his head, "She has gone, I sent her away" he says.

"Oh I see" I say, somewhat lamely as I'm not sure what else I can add to that.

"She assumed that there could be more to our relationship" he says.

"And you didn't?" I ask.

"No, I cannot love another, while I am consumed with feelings for you" he says, this was obviously not the right thing to say, especially in front of Eric and I wonder what Bill is playing at. Eric bears his fangs at Bill and actually growls at him but Bill ignores the threat and continues to stare at me like a lost puppy. I realise he is purposely goading Eric and it pisses me off.

"Bill, you know we are just friends, we can never be anything more than that, not after the way you used me, in fact you should consider yourself lucky to even be considered a friend by me after what you did. I love Eric, I'm married to him for gods' sake" I say. This seems to provoke a reaction in both Eric and Bill, Eric calms down and Bill get more agitated.

"You gave him a damn knife which he tricked you into doing, that is not the basis for a marriage" Bill insists, I can feel Eric's anger rising again I reach for him and touch his arm sending him my love and trying to calm him. I turn to Bill and the anger on my face visibly shakes him.

"Eric and I are married, I am Mrs Northman, and I am proud to be Eric's wife, we married in a human civil ceremony, and I now live in Shreveport" I say holding up my left hand so Bill can see my rings.

Eric sees the pain on Bills face and holds up his hand displaying the wedding ring he too proudly wears, Bill makes a strange sound and turns and disappears back into the woods.

"He bothers me sometimes, he almost seems obsessed about me" I say.

"He realises he lost the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world, he used and betrayed you and he knows that nothing he can do can forgive that treachery" Eric says as he pulls me close.

"Let's go" I say. I feel a little bit guilty for upsetting Bill, after all he did come after me when I was captured by Neave and Lochlan and got poisoned by silver for his trouble, but I repaid that debt by finding Judith and getting her to come and give him her blood so he could heal.

We head to Merlottes and it is once again abnormally quiet, I look around before heading out the back to find Sam.

"It's a bit quiet in here" I say.

Sam nods, "I just hope that the novelty of the new bar will soon wear off and they will return" he says.

"Fangtasia is also suffering, Victor has opened a Vampire bar in Shreveport" Eric says.

I try not to react, I didn't know that, and I had no idea that Victor was behind the bar taking Merlottes clientele although I should have realised 'Vic's Redneck Roadhouse' was kind of obvious. It makes me all the more determined to get Victor out of the picture, he is not only hurting Sam's business but he is also hurting Eric's. I wonder if Felipe knows what games his regent is playing and I wonder if he would approve of his regent effectively damaging the income for the state. I pull myself from my thoughts and get to the point of my visit.

"I've talked things over with Eric and I have decided to hand in my notice here at Merlotte's" I say watching Sam's reaction carefully.

He rolls his eyes, "Well I didn't see that one coming" he says sarcastically.

I feel my anger rising, "And what's that supposed to mean?" I snap.

Sam laughs humourlessly, "Oh come on, he has you right where he wants you, he has separated you from your home, your family and now your job, can't you see what he is doing?" he says.

Eric hisses and steps forward menacingly but I place my hand on his arm.

"Now you hang on one minute, Sam Merlotte, you have no idea about me and my life I may be married to Eric and I may love him but I make my own decisions, I will still be coming to Bon Temps regularly to see Jason and I am keeping my house, for us to stay in, I made a decision which was right for me, and it makes sense that now I live in Shreveport that I work in Shreveport too, I hoped you of all people would understand and be happy for me" I say.

I can see Sam struggling with what to say and I take a peek in his head, the usually snarly thoughts of a twoey are clear at this moment, Sam doesn't think Eric is good enough for me and he thinks I am heading for disaster.

"I love Eric and it was my idea to marry him in a human ceremony" I say, Sam looks at me sceptically and my patience evaporates, "Look you know what, just forget it, if you can't be happy for me then its probably best I won't be working here anymore."

I look up at Eric, "come on lets go" I say. I feel hurt by Sam's reaction and Eric can feel it as he wraps his arm around me and kisses me tenderly.

As we walk towards the car I look up at Eric, "You didn't tell me Victor had opened a club in Shreveport and that it was affecting Fangtasia" I say.

"I didn't feel it was important" Eric replies.

I shake my head, "Eric, anything to do with that slime ball is important, I need to know exactly what he is doing so we can work out the best way to get rid of him" I say.

Eric beams at me, "You make me so proud" he says.

I shrug off his words and climb into my car.

On the way back to Shreveport an idea comes into my head, I have been thinking about everything, I remember what Greg said about Eric training him, and Thalia's caustic comments keep playing over and over in my mind that I am a liability to Eric. The more I think about it the more I realise I am and I could potentially be the cause of Eric's demise, yes I have killed vampires and other supernatural beings, but every single time was a fluke and not because I was trained to do so, it has always been pure luck rather than intention and I'm not stupid enough to realise that I will need more than blind luck to help overcome Victor. This has made the seed of an idea which I first had on the plane grow a little bit more, and it has also lead me to make another decision and I turn towards Eric.

"Eric I want you to train me" I say.

"Train you in what?" he asks.

"Everything, I want to be as strong a fighter as you, Pam and Thalia, I don't want to be your weak link" I say.

Eric beams at me, "You have an impressive kill record my wife you are already an accomplished killer" he says.

I shake my head, "Everyone I have killed has been done with pure luck, I want some proper skills and proper training, I need to be able to know what I am doing, I don't want you risking yourself to keep me safe, I need you to be confident in the knowledge that I can handle myself and not put either of us in danger," I say.

I watch as Eric thinks about this and nods. "I will train you" he says.

**oooOOOooo**

We head to Fangtasia and Pam greets us warmly she is working on the door tonight, as we enter all the vampires turn and stare, I slip my hand into Eric's and wait. I am not sure what is going to happen, but I realise this could go either way, then something interesting happens Thalia drifts towards Eric and nods, she hands him a bottle of blood and me a glass of soda. I realise this means something and I thank her. Eric leads me to a booth and ushers me in.

"What was all that about?" I ask.

"There is unrest" he says.

"Because you married me?" I ask.

Eric nods.

"They think you are weak because you married me in a human ceremony?" I say.

Eric nods.

I feel my anger rising and I stand and march up to the bar where all the vampires are gathered. Pam is back on the door and I see her watching me.

"Hi y'all, I just want to say something, something real important, Eric is my husband, but he is still Sheriff of Area 5, and he is still the same brave vampire who survived the take over and who you all owe your lives to, if you had been in any other area you would all probably be dead now, you need to stop with this prejudice, just because I am with Eric doesn't make him less of a vampire, if anything it makes him more of a vampire, as you all know I am a telepath which gives me a significant advantage with dealing with humans, what you may not know is I am also part Fae my great grandfather is Niall Brigant" I purposely don't mention that the fae have retreated to their own realm. "So I am not just a weak dispensable human and I am committed and loyal to Eric and I swear I won't hesitate to end any one who betrays him," I hear the angry hisses and I just glare at them. Then something amazing happens. Thalia walks up to me and bows to me.

"You have my word, I swear that I will not betray Eric...Sookie" she says.

Pam appears at my side, "I believe you are an asset to my maker and I will not hesitate to stand shoulder to shoulder with you" she says.

I glance at Eric and a wave of pride hits me through our bond, he stands and walks towards me.

"Sookie is my wife, we have married in line with Vampire law and human law, we are blood bonded and my wife has agreed that should the need arise, she is willing for me to bring her over, my wife has asked me tonight to train her in combat but as you are all aware she already has an impressive kill record, killing many of our own and she also killed a full fairy who was tasked with killing her, she survived being tortured by Neave and Lochlan who as you know are infamous, I expect every one of you to show my wife the loyalty she deserves". Eric looks around and the atmosphere has suddenly changed, instead of hostility there is now a grudging respect being projected towards me.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Eric retreats to his office without a word and I follow, wondering if I have just made things worse, but as soon as the door is closed Eric leaps on me.

"You are amazing" he says as his hands roam all over me.

"So I didn't do the wrong thing?" I ask.

Eric stops and looks at me incredulously, "No, you proved yourself worthy tonight; you faced them head on and declared your loyalty to me. You pointed out that they owe me their lives and you vowed to end anyone who betrays me, you did everything right and I am so proud of you" he says.

"I want to start training straight away, because we will never know when it will be needed" I say.

Eric smiles, "Well there is no time like the present" he says and with one push his desk is against the wall and he quickly pushes back the other furniture in the room until we have a decent space.

I stand waiting while Eric rummages in a drawer and pulls out two daggers, I stare at them and he holds one out to me, "Don't be afraid of them, the first thing you need to learn is your weapon needs to become a part of you, an extension of who you are" he says.

I notice his accent has become more pronounced and I realise he is returning in his mind to his human days of a Viking warrior.

I nod and take the dagger from him.

"Ok Sookie come at me, attack me" he says.

I freeze, and Eric shakes his head, "Forget I am your husband, forget that you love me, attack me" he says.

I shake my head, "I can't, it's not that I love you and don't want to hurt you, well it is, but there is more, it's as if I know what you are going to do, I don't know how, but I do, it must be our bond, I can anticipate your moves you will watch and see how I attack and I can see your counter moves in my mind" I stop as Eric stares at me in shock.

"That's...Interesting! Alright then" he says and without warning he slams the bond shut and turns around with his back to me and just as suddenly he turns back and comes at me his fangs down and snarling, instinct kicks in and I slash him across his stomach, then I squeal in shock at what I have done, I drop the dagger and put my hands up to my mouth, and I apologise profusely but Eric is beaming as the blood oozes through the tear in his shirt.

"You are a natural, but it appears you have issues with harming me and if I am honest I too have problems with harming you, as our bond is just too strong even when I close it I cannot bring myself to hurt you as I love you too much."

I am staring at the slash mark which is rapidly healing, and Eric sees my concern, "Sookie look at me this was good, this was instinct and instinct will keep you alive", he pulls the torn t shirt off showing me that the wound has now healed, he takes my hand and puts it on his stomach.

"See it has healed" he says, he watches me examine the area and I place a kiss on his stomach and smile weakly at him, he thinks a moment and then vanishes from the room, moments later he returns with Thalia.

Now I am frightened, she wants me dead, she is going to destroy me, then I realise this is what Eric wants he wants me to be frightened he wants the training to be as accurate as possible to situations I will face, plus Thalia doesn't like humans so she won't hold back either.

"Sookie, I am going to instruct you but you will fight with Thalia, our bond and our love for each other makes it too difficult for us to effectively spar" he says.

I nod and swallow deeply and look at Thalia, "Expect no mercy breather" she growls

I grind my teeth, "My name is Sookie not breather and I don't expect mercy" I snap and I lunge at her.

"Good" Eric cries, and he quickly barks out instructions which I follow, but Thalia is too fast and she soon has me pinned to the ground, her hand around my throat and she is squeezing.

Then I remember what I did with Bruno and although I can barely breathe I thrust my hand upwards and stab Thalia, she shrieks and leaps off me, I gasp and scramble to my feet expecting Thalia to kill me but to my surprise she and Eric are both laughing. It is a scary sight I have never seen Thalia smile before let alone laugh.

"You have good instincts" she says and then turns to Eric, "You were right, she has potential I will train her" she adds as she touches the now healing wound on her stomach.

After that, Eric retreats to the side of the room and watches as Thalia instructs me, by the time our session has finished I am exhausted but I feel that I have learnt so much. I turn towards Eric and he nods approvingly.

"You have done well, you are instinctively good, and the fact all we have to do is hone that natural talent makes life much easier and training will proceed much faster" he says.

Thalia also nods, "Your reflexes are incredible, I wonder if that has something to do with your blood bond, you take Eric's blood?" she asks.

I nod, "I do ...well did, the last time I took some was on our wedding night, I've not had anything since then, but I've had quite a lot of it in the past" I say.

Thalia's eyebrows raise at this information, "Not even your blood is that potent, to provide such lasting results" she says turning towards Eric, "It could be a combination of her Fae ancestry, natural ability and lingering effect of the blood, but I am not going to investigate what gives her this talent, my job is to enhance it and make her valuable, should her assistance ever be needed."

"I am here you know" I snap and Thalia looks at me.

"I know you are" she says.

"Well stop talking about me as if I am irrelevant" I say.

Thalia steps menacingly towards me, "You are my student, I will talk to you when I am instructing you" she says.

Just as I am about to retort something else, there is a knock on the door.

"Yes" Eric calls.

Pam appears and takes in the room, "Two of Victors men are here wanting to talk to you" she says, looking from me to Thalia and then back at Eric.

"Show them in" Eric says.

Pam nods and leaves and moments later two vampires are escorted in.

Eric greets them with a nod and waits for them to speak. They look towards me and wait.

"You can speak in front of my wife" Eric says.

"But she is human" one spits derisively.

Eric growls and the other speaks, "Apologies Sheriff Northman, we are here with an invitation from Victor for you and ...your wife to visit The Vampire's Kiss tomorrow night."

Eric nods "Tell Victor that I am honoured and my wife and I will be happy to attend" he says.

There is more nodding and then the two vampires leave. I turn towards Eric waiting for an explanation, haven't vampires ever heard of a telephone?

"We have to go, we have no choice, that wasn't an invitation it was a command, to refuse would not be wise" Eric says.

Suddenly the appearance of the two vampire messengers becomes clear; Victor was flexing his muscles trying to intimidate Eric, letting him know who is boss.

"I got that much, why does he want us to go?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "Who knows, it could be simply just poking a stick at us or there could be something more sinister afoot, he may just want to aggravate me but he may be trying to provoke a reaction which causes more serious consequences, whatever his plan is, we must be on our guard".

I nod in agreement, "Is Pam coming with us?" I ask.

Eric nods, "she is my child so she will naturally be present," he says.

"Good" I say.

"You sound almost happy about this" Eric says.

I grin at him, "Whatever Victor has planned...bring it on!" I say.

**oooOOOooo**

The next evening I am not feeling quite so brave, I have been in training with Thalia again, since she rose and turned up at Eric's house to continue my instruction. I am now reacting instinctively every time she comes for me, I am blocking her and I have stabbed her twice, and once was dangerously close to her heart and she paused.

"Anyone would think you were really trying to end me" she says.

"I'm sorry" I say.

Thalia shakes her head, "do not apologise, your aim will need to be more accurate than that when you are doing it for real" she says.

"Eric has been giving me some tips" I say as I remember the intensive talk Eric gave me when we got home the previous night, how he had placed his arms around me and walked me through different scenarios and taught me what to look for and signals the enemy gives out, to help me make the right decision of how to chose when to block and be defensive and when to fight back.

Thalia raises her eyebrows and looks towards Eric who is watching from the corner of the room.

"Just because we have difficulty sparring doesn't mean I can't teach her everything I know" he says.

Thalia nods, "It appears she listens well, I won't go easy on you any longer if you are getting additional tuition from the Viking, we will see if you have been paying attention to him and see how good you really are" she says.

I gulp, she was going easy on me? I nod and brace myself for her attack, but it doesn't come, instead she turns and walks out of the room.

"Stay aware Sookie she is testing you, it will be a surprise attack when you least expect it" Eric warns.

"But we are due to go to Victors tonight" I say.

"Don't fret, it will happen soon" Eric says.

I nod and turn to pick up the dagger, the next thing I know Thalia is not only back in the room but on my back and sinking her fangs into my neck, I just react, my anger explodes at being bitten and I drag her over my shoulder and repeatedly stab her. She wasn't expecting such force or violence and she nods at me. I hold out my hand to help her up and much to my surprise she accepts it.

"Well done" she says.

I turn and Eric is at my side healing the fang marks on my neck, then he bites his wrist, "I want you to drink from me Sookie, I want you to be on top form for this visit with Victor" he says.

I nod and latch on to his wrist, I watch him as he closes his eyes, his fangs extend and I see a prominent bulge appearing in his trousers, I hear Thalia tut and leave the room. I start to lick his wrist and he growls and pulls me closer, I reach down and stroke my free hand over the front of his trousers.

"Sookie" he growls.

"Eric" I respond, and that's all it takes for him to pounce, before I know where I am we are both naked and he is on top of me and thrusting into me.

I continue to suck on his wrist and he pierces my neck and drinks from me. Then quite unexpectedly I hear him. _I love this woman. _I stop and pull away. Eric pauses and looks down at me.

"What is it my wife?" he asks.

"I...I...heard you" I stammer.

Eric frowns, "You heard my thoughts?" he asks and I nod.

"You thought I love this woman, I was going to reply and then I realised you didn't say it" I say.

Eric grins, "Can you hear what I am thinking now?" he asks.

I open up my mind and listen but it's a void, nothing. I shake my head, "No it was when you were drinking from me and I was drinking from you at that moment that was when I heard you" I say.

Eric thinks a moment, "we were both concentrating on each other, we were making love and drinking from each other, perhaps that triggered some kind of deeper connection?" he says.

"Perhaps" I say. "I have had flashes of your thoughts before" I admit, "nothing big just a brief moment and then it went back to a void" I say quickly when I see the surprise register on his face.

"Just me?" he asks and I nod.

"Thank you for telling me, perhaps we can experiment with this see if we can strengthen this link between us, if we can communicate without speaking it could prove to be very useful," he says.

"Like the way Sophie-Ann and Andre did?" I say.

Eric nods, "Exactly like the way Sophie-Ann and Andre did."

"Can you and Pam communicate without speaking?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No, but we can anticipate each others moves when it is necessary, it is done through the blood bond and we can communicate with the physical emotions we are experiencing, for example if one of us is hurt the other will know immediately, much like the bond we share" he explains.

"I think we could use the bond we have, if we establish some kind of system, for example if we are somewhere and either of us picks up any danger or anything we send the other some kind of signal through the bond" I say wondering if this sounds ridiculous.

Eric smiles "That is a good idea, what do you propose?" he asks.

"Well..."I say, and I send him a wave of negativity it hits him "How about that?" I ask.

"That was comprehensive, and effective" he says he returns the negativity and I shiver.

"Wow" I say "I see what you mean" I add.

Eric pulls me close and sends a wave of love and pride to me, I reach up and kiss him.

"We had better get going soon" I say.

Eric nods, I detach myself from him and go and get ready. When I am presentable I head downstairs and Eric gaze rakes over me.

"Will I do?" I ask.

"You look beautiful as always" Eric says and kisses me.

"Where is Pam, I thought she was coming too?" I ask.

"She went ahead to check security" he says.

I nod and we climb into Eric's corvette and we make our way to the club. When we arrive Eric climbs out and comes around to open my door as he does so I see him scanning the car park.

"Do you see anyone?" he asks me as I climb out, I reach out opening my mind up.

"Three vamps in the shadows and one coming towards us" I say.

Eric looks up, "Relax its Pam" he says.

We turn as she reaches us, "They wouldn't let me in" she says.

I feel Eric's anger rising. "Come on let's go, get it over with" I say.

We walk towards the front of the club, we want to enter through the public entrance as there is less chance of an ambush that way.

We get inside and we are quickly led to a VIP area where Victor is holding court, he has two Vamps standing behind him and two humans sitting at his feet, neither of them look healthy and I quickly look in their heads and see they have been heavily glamoured.

"Eric, Pam good to see you both and Eric you have brought your...wife" Victor says beaming patronisingly at me.

I move to Eric's side and glare at Victor.

"Good evening Victor" I say directly to him.

"Good Evening...Sookie" he replies after a moments surprise at my audacity.

"Please sit down, let me get some refreshment for you" Victor raises his hand and calls for drinks, a bartender appears with bottles of blood I am immediately suspicious as the lids have already been removed and I send negativity towards Eric, he feels it and looks at me and I fix my eyes on the bottles. Eric realises my concern and doesn't reach for the bottle, Pam notices and waits for Eric to take a bottle before she does.

I check out the bartender and he gives me what I am looking for when I hear him think _I wonder what heroin does to vampires? _I see Victor watching carefully waiting for Eric to take the bottle and I realise I need to do something so I stand up to move as if I am trying to get comfortable and purposely knock the table, the bottles of blood topple and spill I make an elaborate show of apology and contrition, before I sit down again.

Eric pulls me close, "Don't worry my love" he says, he turns to Victor, "Please forgive my wife" he says smoothly.

Victor nods but the look he gives me does not match the words he speaks, "Do not trouble yourself I will send for more" he says.

I look at the bartender who brings two more bottles, this time still sealed he looks at me and then I hear him think about the waste of drugs in the blood. I try to not react but Eric must feel my shock as he hesitates to pick up the fresh bottle of blood. Victor is watching us carefully and I force myself to smile and I send Eric positive thoughts. I see some of the tainted blood on the table and I quickly grab a napkin and mop it up. Eric stares at me but quickly recovers and smiles.

Victor is clearly angry that his plan was foiled and I am furious, but I force myself to keep calm. I look around the club and see huge life size cut outs of Elvis there seems to be a running theme of 'the King' all around the club. I immediately think about Bubba and wonder where he is, it's been a while since I last saw him.

"Do you like the club Miss Stackhouse?" Victor says me which pulls me from my musings.

I stiffen and smile at him, unfortunately it is my crazy Sookie smile and he looks momentarily alarmed, I lean forward, "It's Mrs Northman" I say with more than a bite to my tone.

Victor laughs "Oh come now as I recall you were hardly pleased when Eric tricked you into giving him the knife" he says.

I look him straight in the eye, I have learnt this always unnerves vampires as they don't expect humans to voluntarily do it because of the danger of glamouring, and then I lie through my teeth.

"That is because I was expecting us to marry by human tradition first so it was a shock when Eric surprised me by marrying by vampire law first".

Victor looks startled but quickly recovers, "and when do you plan to marry in line with human law?" he asks.

I look at him with surprise, "Oh didn't you know, we have now married" I say and hold up my hand, Victor's eyes fix on my rings and he scowls before rearranging his face into a more benign look.

"Well...congratulations" he says tightly.

Eric reaches for my hand and kisses my rings and so I then make a show of grasping his hand and I kiss his ring, this produces a gasp from Victor.

"You too wear a talisman of human marriage Sheriff Northman?" he asks.

Eric shakes his head, "I need no talisman, I wear this ring merely as a symbol of my love for my wife" he says.

I think Victor is going to expire on the spot. I too am shocked by Eric's reply, he has just admitted in a room full of vampires that he loves me. But at least it has taken his mind off of the blood, which I quickly move out of the way. After all you can't be too careful. They may have arrived sealed but I don't want Eric or Pam anywhere near it, especially after knowing what was concealed in the first lot.

"We had all the arrangements in place so we didn't see any reason to wait did we honey?" I say.

Eric shakes his head "No" he says and turns to Victor, "We married in Las Vegas, and I believe Felipe or at the very least his sheriffs were aware of our presence, I am surprised you weren't informed" he says.

A vindictive gleam appears in Victors eyes, "You didn't seek permission to leave Louisiana" he states.

I lean forward, "Victor, I don't want to seem rude but I am a human, I am not bound by your rules" I say.

Victor forces himself to smile once more, "Of course not Miss Stackhouse but..."

"Mrs Northman" I correct him.

"My apologies, Mrs Northman" he says as if the words are choking him, "you are free to travel wherever you wish, but Sheriff Northman has to seek permission from me to leave Louisiana" he says.

I nod, and fake a look of shock, "Did you know about this law, honey?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "I did not, I sought permission to enter Nevada which is standard procedure and it was granted, I didn't realise permission was needed to leave my home state," he says.

"You would think a vampire of your age and standing would know of such a fundamental law, so ... is this a new ruling Victor?" I ask mildly.

Victor nods, "it is, it came into force at midnight on the 2nd of this month" he says grandly.

I tap my cheek thoughtfully, "The second you say, at midnight?" I ask knowing if Victor says yes he will have just shot himself in the foot.

Victor nods smugly.

I fake a dramatic sigh of relief and I feel Eric's amusement through the bond.

"Well, that is a relief then, at that point we were already in Las Vegas, so we left before the ruling came into force, so that being the case no permission was needed at that time and Eric broke no rules, am I right Victor?" I ask looking directly once more at the seething regent.

"That is correct Miss Stackhouse," he says tightly.

"Mrs Northman" I say correcting him again.

I lean forward and carry on speaking to Victor, "also, I would point out as a human, I am entitled to travel at will, I am also entitled to take guests with me so I would presume those guests are also covered fully by human law, especially when I am lawfully bound to one of them as his wife. As far as I can see there has been no infringement, don't you agree Victor?" I say sweetly.

"You are correct Mrs Northman" he spits.

"So, correct me if I am wrong, but as long as Eric seeks permission from the state he wishes to travel to, he as my husband in the eyes of human law, may travel at will?" I ask.

Victor clenches his fists and glares at me, "It would appear so" he spits.

I beam at him, "That is good, I would hate for there to be any confusion or misunderstanding, should I want to go travelling as I would naturally want to take my husband with me" I say.

Eric takes my hand once more and Victor looks as though he really wants to rip my head off. So I quickly return to a more benign subject.

"The club looks quite stunning" I say as I gesture around with my hand.

Victor nods "Thank you, it does, doesn't it" he says.

I can't help but wonder what he would do if he came face to face with Bubba and I realise he doesn't know that the King lives...sort of.

"Tell me Victor how is your other club doing?" I ask.

"Oh very well indeed, I do hope it hasn't taken too much trade from your place of employment?" he says smugly and that reply tells me all I want to know, that he opened that club specifically to harm Merlotte's .

I struggle to keep my face neutral, and I look at Victor steadily, "I wouldn't know, I don't work there anymore," I say. This surprises Victor so I can't help but twist the knife just a little more. "No, I handed in my notice, it just seemed silly travelling to Bon Temps when I now live in Shreveport with Eric."

Victors eyebrows rise at this, "So you are now _living _with the Sheriff?" he asks.

"He's my husband, so where else would I be?" I ask.

"Are you planning to work? If so, I could offer you a position here, a waitress of your experience?" he says.

I smile sweetly but shake my head, "No thanks, I have already got myself a new job" I say evasively.

"You are happy with this arrangement Sheriff?" Victor says, glancing at Eric.

Eric nods, "My wife is an independent woman and she makes me proud that she prefers to work" he says.

Victor is bursting to know what I am doing but I just want to keep him guessing, as if he is too dumb to realise that I will be at Fangtasia with Eric then I'm not about to hand him that information.

Victor smiles and lifts his glass to his mouth, "Tell me Sheriff have you spoken with Felipe recently, I understand he has been approached by Oklahoma regarding a marriage contract she put together with your maker - Ocella?" he says.

I stiffen and Eric immediately sends me a burst of love and comfort.

"No, but I don't expect to as I would have assumed that would be void now, as Ocella has met his final death" Eric says in a bored tone.

Victor shakes his head, "Oh no, Oklahoma is quite insistent that it should go ahead, she has petitioned Felipe to allow you to leave Louisiana," Victor says not taking his eyes from me.

I cock my head to one side, "so what is she expecting? Does she think that Eric will set me aside?" I ask.

Victor nods and his grin gets wider.

"So, how do you go about a vampire divorce?" I ask him.

"You would have to give Eric the ceremonial knife again" Victor says.

I laugh and shake my head, "is that all, hell human divorce doesn't happen that quickly" I say.

Victors face drops as I say this, "You would insist on a human divorce?" he asks.

I nod, "I certainly would, Eric is my husband, and I love him so why should I give him up without a fight? I mean, I could contest the divorce and it could take months...even years, and during that time why would I be willing to participate in a vampire divorce? after all human law supersedes vampire law" I say.

"Freyda will kill you" Victor says adamantly, I know he is trying to scare me but I have had another moment of clarity, I love Eric and I am not going to give him up without a fight. I feel Eric sending me and continuous steady stream of love and pride through the bond and it bolsters my confidence to continue to stand up to Victor.

I shrug, "I'm sure that will really change Eric's mind about her" I say sarcastically, "But if she does try and kill me, Felipe is bound by oath protect me and Eric and I are bonded so he would protect me, and I am also protected by human law, and it wouldn't look too good for all you vampires trying to convince humans that you are not dangerous, if it came out in the media that little old me was murdered because some vampire lady wanted my husband – it sounds positively medieval" I say.

Victor stares at me, he is totally unable to speak he is so angry. Eric is a picture of calm and impassiveness at the side of me but he is holding my hand tightly and the love and pride I am receiving from him now increased into a massive surge, so much so that it was almost overwhelming. Pam has her head down to hide the faint smile on her lips.

"You, are either very brave or very stupid, Miss Stackhouse, you dare to speak to me so insolently?" Victor splutters eventually, his anger getting the better of him.

I just laugh, which angers him even more but his anger is feeding my confidence, "To start off with Victor, for the... what is now, third time, or maybe its more I've lost count? It is Mrs Northman I am no longer Miss Stackhouse I am now Mrs Northman, do you need me to write it down for you?" I ask sarcastically.

Victor leaps to his feet and he has his fangs down, I stand up and brandish the dagger Eric gave me, and Eric stands beside me. Pam also stands and closes in on the other side, but I step forward pointing the dagger at Victor, showing him that I am not afraid of him and that I am willing to take him on without the help of the two vampires flanking me.

"Secondly, when I was tortured to within an inch of my life by Lochlan and Neave, it kind of put things into perspective for me, it made me realise what was important in life and to me Eric is important, and I am sorry if it offends you but you are not important to me, in fact you are quite irrelevant, so yes I dare to speak to you as I do because after spending hours in the company of Lochlan and Neave there isn't a lot out there now which can frighten me, and I am loyal to Eric and I take my wedding vows very seriously, so I will fight to protect my marriage from anyone who threatens it and your blatant disregard for my married name is a part of that, not to mention incredibly rude." I stop and Victor looks thunderstruck at my outburst.

Before he can say anything else, I continue to speak "also there is the small point to address which has been bothering me for a while now, you wouldn't allow Eric to come to me when I was being tortured by two homicidal fairies, despite Felipe's oath to protect me if I was in mortal danger – which Eric repeatedly told you I was, so you ignored an order of your king, which is treason is it not? But that is unimportant to me, but what is important to me and does severely piss me off is that you bound my husband in silver to prevent him leaving to come to my aid, you hurt my husband on purpose, why did you do that Victor?" I ask.

I am still waving the dagger at him, he is watching it closely and the two vampires behind him are staring at him in shock, and one is actually shaking his head in disgust, whether that is at me for being so rude or for the revelations I have just made, I don't know, but I do know what happens in the next moment will define what will happen in the weeks and months to come.

To my complete surprise Victor throws his head back and laughs, "Your wife is quite the firebrand, Sheriff I can see the appeal" he says.

I keep on my guard as Eric is now sending me wave after wave of negativity.

"Mrs Northman, please accept my apologies for the misunderstanding regarding my hasty behaviour previously, I was unaware that an oath of protection existed between yourself and my king, but I released the sheriff immediately when the fact was confirmed by his majesty" he says.

I don't fail to notice he hasn't apologised for not calling me by my correct name and he hasn't really answered my question. I want to call him out on that but I don't, I simply nod. The tension comes down a notch and Victor sits down.

After a moment I also sit down and Eric resumes his place next to me and he once again reaches for my hand and holds it tightly, I am now getting extreme pride and some amusement and I am assuming it is because of the way I have dealt with Victor.

Suddenly, Victor stands again, so in an instant I too am on my feet. Victor glances at the dagger still clutched in my hand and makes an extreme effort to smile benignly, "Well I hate be a party pooper but I have things I need to attend to" he says.

I return the smile sweetly, "No rest for the wicked" I say.

Victor laughs but it is forced like the smile he is giving me, "indeed" he says. He turns to Eric, "I'll bid you all goodnight" he says. With that he turns and leaves.

After a moment I look up at Eric, "Too much?" I whisper.

Eric just grins at me and kisses me. As we leave the bar I am on full alert, I have opened up my mind completely and as we cross the car park and I can sense a number of voids, so I believe that a number of vampires are watching us leave. Pam and Eric are watching everywhere. When we get to the car Eric pulls me into his arms.

"Sookie you were astounding" he says and he presses a firm kiss to my forehead.

"Did I go too far" I ask.

Pam nods, "Way too far, but it can't be said that you didn't get your message across loud and clear, and it has left him with a lot to think about and calling him out on ignoring Felipe's oath was inspired, you have planted a seed in the minds of the other vampires there, that Victor cannot be trusted and is capable of betraying the king, that was ...beautiful," she says.

Eric just kisses me soundly, "I am so proud of you" he says.

I grin, "Thanks, but he still has to go" I say.

Both Eric and Pam nod in agreement.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

We head back to Fangtasia and Eric proudly tells Thalia what I did. She doesn't react but listens carefully and nods. Then she turns to me.

"You have put a large target on your back I hope you are able to remove it" she says.

I nod "I know I probably went too far but I needed to do it, he needed to know that I am not a pushover, just because I am human" I say.

Thalia shakes her head, "I understand that and you got your message across loud and clear but you have also prematurely shown your hand, you have informed him of your plan to keep Eric, you have told him that you are relying on human law to buy you time and if this is relayed to Felipe and then to Freyda, they will come up with their own plan, even more seriously you have offended Victor and publicly humiliated him, he won't allow this to pass unpunished, he will seek retaliation for it. However, you have behaved honourably by publicly declaring your loyalty to Eric, and planting the seeds of doubt in the vampires around Victor as to his trustworthiness was very clever," as she pauses, I jump in with my justification for what I did.

"No Thalia I wasn't, I was letting him know I am not a push over, I am not just weak little human that vampires can push around. I intend to tell Felipe exactly the same thing if I get the chance, and then he can make his choice, either he honours the oath he made to me and does what is common sense or he faces the consequences" I say.

Thalia stares at me her face completely blank, she doesn't say a word but I swear I see a miniscule twitch of her lip. When she eventually speaks her tone is sharp and clipped.

"We will continue with your training tomorrow," she says, and then she simply turns and leaves.

"Why and how is Felipe involved in the marriage contract, it was between Ocella and Freyda?" I ask Eric after Thalia has left.

"She has to petition him to gain his permission for me to leave his kingdom, technically speaking I suppose it should be Victor she approaches, rather than Felipe, as he is the regent of Louisiana but she has approached Felipe as he is the overseeing monarch and as such this makes me one of his sheriffs, and I fear he will do his best to help Freyda as separating me from you will not only hurt me, but it leaves him free to claim you as his property, he will probably do it under the guise of protecting you, but Victor also covets you for himself so he will be making his own plans to steal you" Eric explains.

I stare at him, "I'm not property, I'm not a piece of meat which can bought and sold" I say angrily.

Eric wraps his arms around me, "No you are not, you are my wife and if we are clever we can prevent any of these plans coming to fruition" he says.

I cling to him tightly, "I really think we need to get rid of Victor, he is dangerous" I say.

Eric nods, "Tell me, what was wrong with the blood, was it because it was unsealed, did that make you nervous?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, I heard the bartender wonder what blood tainted with heroin would do to a vampire, and when I knocked it over I heard him think that it was a waste of drugs and blood, so Victor had spiked that blood with drugs" I say.

Eric grips me tighter.

"What would have happened had you drunk it?" I ask.

"I'm not sure, but it wouldn't have been pretty, I could have reacted in any number of ways" he says soberly.

As we stand there in each others arms, the phone rings, and Eric reaches over and picks it up, he glances at me and then speaks, "Good evening your majesty" he says.

I stiffen and move closer to Eric as I try and listen.

I see Eric smile and he continues to listen and make odd positive comments at various points, I am desperate to know what is being said and I look at him questioningly.

"Well?" I ask when he eventually hangs up.

"It appears I was correct, Felipe was apologetic but fears he cannot go against the contract between Oklahoma and Ocella and of course he is willing to give you a home in Nevada after the divorce is complete, in line with his oath to protect your life" he says.

I shake my head, then something occurs to me, "Wait, so he doesn't know that we are married...I mean human married?" I say trying to work things out.

Eric shrugs, "I'm not sure, I requested permission to enter Las Vegas from the area sheriff and it was granted without question, whether or not that news has reached Felipe is another matter" he says.

"How does that explain the vampires who Greg saw? Do you remember - The ones who were hanging around while we were there and the ones who followed Thalia and Pam?" I ask.

"They could have been sent by Felipe or by the area sheriff, either way they would show up as working for Felipe as he is the king, but with hindsight I believe it was simply the sheriff trying to discover the purpose of our visit, so what we need to establish is did he manage to uncover that purpose and does Felipe now know we are married?" Eric says.

I nod, "Well even if he doesn't he will shortly because I opened my big mouth to Victor" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "I'm not so sure about that, I believe Victor will keep that information to himself as it gives him the advantage, if Felipe is unaware" he says.

I think for a moment. "So, if we kill Victor we won't have to worry about him planning something as well as Felipe" I say.

Eric smiles widely, "You have changed Sookie, you have no human conscience any more about what needs to be done," he says.

I nod, "I know, being tortured does that to you, it changes the way you look at the world, before I would have reservations down to my Christian upbringing that killing was wrong, but now...coming face to face with death at the hands of two fairies who took so much pleasure in what they were doing and the fact they considered it as play, something snapped in me and has altered the way I view everything, I realise when it comes to dealing with supes you have to be ruthless, its kill or be killed, but I don't think I would be as callous if it came to killing another human being, I still believe that vampires should hand humans over to the authorities and let them punish them" I say.

Eric grips me to his chest and kisses me, "That mentality you now have will keep you alive my wife and I am grateful to Lochlan and Neave that they produced that change in you, as it makes you far stronger than you will ever realise" he says. "And I will honour your will, I assure you that any humans who wrong me won't be killed by my hand and I will endeavour to hand them over to the relevant authorities" he adds.

I hold him tighter but say nothing. I know full well that the way he worded that there were a number of get out clauses but I'm not about to call him out on it tonight.

As we go to head out into the bar, the door opens and an old friend appears.

"BUBBA!" I shout and rush towards the damaged vampire.

"Well hello Miss Sookie, it sure is good to see you again, and Mr Eric" he says and plants a kiss on my cheek.

"Hello Bubba did you have a good time with Stan?" Eric says.

Bubba nods and tells us he did, he grips my hand and kisses it and smiles. "Mr Bill told me that you had got married, I sure am happy for you" he says.

"Did Bill tell you who I had married?" I ask.

Bubba thinks and then shakes his head, "No ma'am" he says.

I snort, of course he didn't, I turn towards Eric who steps forward and wraps his arm around me, "I married Eric" I say and I watch as Bubba's face erupts into a huge grin.

"Well that is good news," he says and he congratulates us both again before ambling out.

I watch him go and wonder what Victor would do if he actually met him, then an idea pops into my head – an outrageous idea and incredibly risky but I believe it is workable and I spin towards Eric and place my hands on his chest.

"I know how we are going to kill Victor" I say excitedly.

Eric raises his eyebrows and waits.

"Him" I say, pointing toward the now closed door, "he is the key, Victor is obsessed with Elvis, we get him in a good mood give him the time of his life and then bring him here to sing, get Victor to come and watch – get him nice and distracted and then... kill him" I say.

Eric thinks about this, "It could work" he says "It would need to be planned thoroughly" he adds.

I nod "It would mean involving all the vampires in the area who owe their lives to you" I say.

"Not a problem" Eric says then he thinks, "What about Compton?" he asks.

I think carefully, "Bubba places a lot of emphasis on what Bill tells him, if we could get Bill to persuade him this would be a good idea then he would be bound to go for it, we could even put Bill in charge of giving Bubba his excellent night, and when the fighting starts, he could be the one to take care of bubba and take him away from it" I say.

Eric nods, "You are amazing" he says, we will organise a meeting and make plans.

I nod and we head out into the main bar, as we do so I remember something else I wanted to ask Eric.

"Do you have new day person? I mean, have you replaced Bobby yet?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "I haven't really thought about it" he says.

"Well don't, I'll do it" I say.

I watch Eric go to protest but I press my finger against his lips, "Listen Eric who do you trust?" I ask.

"Pam and...You" realisation dawns on him. "You would be the perfect candidate, I trust you and you would do everything with me in mind, and not just because you are doing a job" he says.

I nod at him.

"But I don't feel good about you doing menial tasks like fetching my laundry and the like" he says.

I smile at him, "Eric I'm your wife, it would be my honour to do the little things for you, I want to do the little things, and it makes sense because I am around the daytime, so, why pay someone to do something I would like to do for you?" I ask.

"If you need assistance you must employ someone to help you" he says firmly.

I think about that, and decide to agree to that concession, "alright, I'll see how I go" I say.

Eric nods and we sit down in the bar, immediately a bottle of blood is brought and a glass of soda for me.

"So, what do you want me to do here, seeing as you offered me a job?" I ask looking around.

Eric shuffles in his seat, "I do not want you working in the bar as a waitress" he says flatly.

I think a moment and biting back the comments that want to rush forward, I try and remain calm. "Ok...so what do you want me to do?" I ask.

"I want you...would like you...to take an administrative role" he says carefully. I realise this is a big concession for him, he is used to issuing orders and expecting them to be followed but he is trying to take my feelings into account here.

"You want me to take care of the paperwork?" I ask.

Eric nods and looks at me expectantly.

I shake my head, "I don't know, I helped Sam out a few times with filling in stuff but I'm not qualified" I say.

Eric smiles at me and reaches for my hand, "I will train you, I will teach you all you need to know, it is very simple and straightforward, and well...if you undertook these duties in the day, it would free up more of our time in the evening before you go to bed," he says looking at me hopefully.

I can't disagree with that and I am up for anything which prolongs the amount of time I get to spend with Eric. "Ok I'll do it" I say with a firm nod and Eric smiles at me and grips my hand.

"So, my wife, how do you propose we find out if Felipe knows of our marriage?" Eric asks.

I think for a moment and then grin and reach for Eric's phone, which is on the table in front of him, "Why don't we ask him?" I say.

Eric stares at me "how do you plan to do this?" he asks warily.

"Watch and learn vampire!" I say with a grin and thumb through Eric's contacts until I find the one I am looking for.

I wink at Eric and select the number I want. I see Thalia looking at us from a distance with no expression on her face, and her words from earlier go through my mind, yes I have a target on my back but that's nothing new, and we need to know exactly what we are dealing with.

I wait until the call is answered and I hear Felipe's voice.

"Good evening again Sheriff Northman" he says by way of greeting.

"Hello Felipe, how are you? Actually, it's not Eric it's me...Sookie, Eric's wife" I say.

There is a brief silence and then Felipe answers warmly, or what he assumes is warmly.

"Miss Stackhouse how delightful to hear from you, tell me, what do I owe the pleasure of your call, have you decided to leave my Sheriff and come and work for me?" he asks.

I laugh, "Oh Felipe you are too funny, and its Mrs Northman now" I say.

Felipe laughs now, "Oh come now, I understand you were less than pleased when you understood what the ramifications of giving Northman the ceremonial knife were, and you refused to acknowledge the marriage" he says.

I laugh again, "Yes, I was a little taken aback but that because I expected that we would marry by human law first, so when Eric went for the vampire ceremony first to surprise me, well it was more of a shock than surprise, and I reacted accordingly and I was incredibly rude and insulting to my husband, but I apologised afterwards for my outburst and thankfully Eric has forgiven me" I say.

"I see and tell me are you still planning to marry by human law?" he asks.

"Indeed we were" I say grinning widely. Eric is staring at me questioningly but I am enjoying myself too much to acknowledge him.

"Were? Meaning you no longer are?" Felipe asks hopefully.

"Meaning we already have, we got married in Las Vegas" I say.

The silence is lengthy and Eric coughs to attract my attention, I look up and mouth to him 'he didn't know' and Eric raises his eyebrows. Felipe speaks again and I return my attention back to the phone call.

"I knew of Northman's visit to Las Vegas, my sheriff informed me of his request to enter Las Vegas and I knew members of his retinue had accompanied him, but I was unaware that you were also present". Felipe says stiffly.

"Really, well I was there and the hotel was lovely!" I say.

Felipe is getting more and more pissed I can tell by the grinding noise I can hear, I continue to speak a plan quickly coming into my mind.

"Soooo, anyway, my reason for calling you is that I was a little upset when you called Eric and said you were going to help Freyda marry him, because you see, we are now married by human law and vampire law and I take my marriage seriously and I love my husband so I don't think I'm inclined to want to file for divorce" I say.

"But Sheriff Northman isn't able to file for divorce in a human court, because he is a vampire" he says.

I didn't know that, and I now look surprised, it doesn't take a genius to work out that this gives me a huge advantage, and I decide to press that advantage home.

"Really, I did not know that, so lets get this straight, you are saying its down to little old me to get the ball rolling and divorce my husband, well I love Eric with all my heart, I have married him twice, once in a human ceremony and once in a vampire ceremony, so I think the chances of me filing for divorce are pretty much zero, in fact I would say that the words hell and freezing over are springing to my mind" I say, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"Miss Stackhouse please don't be hasty about this, you could be putting your life in danger by just suggesting such a thing" Felipe says.

"It's Mrs Northman and are you threatening me Felipe?" I ask.

"I wouldn't dream of it Mrs Northman" he spits, "I am not suggesting anything at all, but if Oklahoma were to hear of this she may consider taking matters into her own hands, I am trying to protect you" he says in a more conciliatory manner.

"And you have made an oath to protect my life because I saved yours, so if she were to try and kill me you could and should stop her in line with that very oath," I say.

There is another lengthy silence, "What do you ask of me?" Felipe asks tightly.

"I don't ask anything Felipe, I am just thinking that it may not come to that because all that you need to do is tell Freyda that the contract is null and void because Ocella is dead, and that you couldn't possibly let such a good sheriff leave your kingdom" I say.

"And if I don't agree to your request?" Felipe asks.

"As I have said it isn't a request, I am just pointing out common sense, but if things were to carry on as they are then I will fight for my husband, and believe me when I say that I will create the biggest shit storm you have ever seen in your life, I love Eric he is my husband and I won't let him go without a fight, no scratch that I won't let him go at all" I say.

I see Eric smirking and he squeezes my hand.

"Does Sheriff Northman know you are calling me?" Felipe asks and the way he asks makes alarm bells ring, I feel a tinge of worry, that Eric is going to be punished for my actions.

"No" I lie, "He is busy and after he told me that you had called, I took his phone and, well... after what he told me of your call to him earlier, I felt I needed to make my feelings clear and see if common sense could prevail" I say.

"Well I will give your request due consideration" Felipe says.

I sigh dramatically, "It's not a request, its me telling you what I expect to happen, because lets get things straight here Felipe, we both know that neither you or Freyda legally have a leg to stand on, Ocella is dead and gone, so in line with your own vampire law because he is dead the contract is no longer valid, and then there is the added point that Eric is married to me in line with vampire law and human law, and we both know that human law supersedes vampire law and I am not going to divorce my husband, ever, so it all boils down to who is going to be the most stubborn here and I have to tell you Felipe I am the queen of stubborn" I say.

"Also" I add, "If as you suggest this puts my life in jeopardy, I will make sure that if anything does happen to me, then the whole sorry story of how a nasty vampire lady tried to steal my husband and when I refused to step aside and let her she had me killed, which was sanctioned by the vampire king who had previously made an oath to protect my life because I had saved his. Let's just think about that for a moment shall we? Can you imagine how badly that would look for the vampire community who are mainstreaming, to be told by the human media that a sweet broad minded human, who is known for previously saving vampire lives in the Rhodes disaster - that's me and who has embraced that community so fully that she even married a vampire - that's Eric, is then betrayed and killed by high ranking members of that community – that's you and Freyda, just because another vampire wants what she can't have - that's Freyda again and was double crossed by a high ranking vampire who had previously sworn to protect her, and just so there is no doubt at all, that's you Felipe" I say.

"So in short Felipe, just so we are really clear on this, all that is pretty much the shit storm I was referring to and is not an idle threat" I stop and wait and I can hear Felipe grinding his teeth loudly.

Eric is staring open mouthed at me, I glance at Thalia and she too is motionless her gaze fixed on me.

"I am happy that you made things so clear" he says with more than a bite to his tone.

"Good, glad you're happy, now may I ask you a question?" I say.

Felipe laughs tightly, "Of course you can my dear"

"Why are you so desperate to get rid of Eric and ship him off to Oklahoma, he is a damn good sheriff – you clearly realised that when you spared him after you killed all the other sheriffs, he is honourable and brave and he is one of the best fighters I have seen with the centuries of experience which he has gathered, he is an asset to any kingdom so why give him away?" I ask.

I glance at Eric and I receive an overwhelming surge of love from him as he hears my words.

Yet another lengthy silence spreads out between us, "Miss...Mrs Northman, you have persuaded me to reconsider my stance, your character reference for your husband was quite ...touching, and you have persuaded me that it would be insanity to let go of such an incredibly important asset to my kingdom" he says smoothly.

"Thank you Felipe" I say.

"No thank you Mrs Northman" he says.

With that I hang up and stare at the phone.

"What happened?" Eric asks.

"I'm not sure" I say, I glance towards Thalia and she comes over and joins us.

"I heard your conversation breather, you were brave and very... persuasive" Thalia says.

"I don't get why he capitulated so quickly" I say and I recount the conversation to Eric and Thalia.

They ask a number of questions and ask me to tell them exactly what Felipe said, I answer their questions and repeat word for word what Felipe said to me.

Eric looks at Thalia and she nods and returns her attention back to me.

"You do realise the asset he spoke of was you not Eric, it's you he wants, he realises that he would stand no chance of obtaining you if Eric were to have to leave and you have effectively backed him into a corner so if he fails to protect you from Freyda he would then have to deal with the...shit storm, not to mention ramifications of that from members of the vampire community who do not wish to be seen by humans as monsters but he now believes that if he helps get rid of Oklahoma he will have a better chance to get you from Eric, he believes that he will have leverage as he believes you will owe him for doing you this service" she says.

I look at Eric and he nods, "That is what I heard in that conversation" he says, "you were technically employed by Sophie Ann so naturally he sees her assets being transferred to him" he adds.

I think about that, "First of all I am not an asset and I wasn't employed by her I helped her out and got paid for it but she didn't hold me prisoner at her palace, and as for his idea that I will be his 'asset' well all I can say is we need to persuade him otherwise, and as for me owing him he can stick that where the sun doesn't shine, you said that it was only right that the contract was void now Ocella was dead, and I never asked Felipe to do anything I just told him what I expected to happen and what would happen if he continued to support it, and I asked him why he wanted to get rid of you, nowhere in that conversation did I ask him for a favour, in fact I made a point of saying that I was requesting nothing" I say.

"I might call Mr Cataliades as well, he is my godfather and he might be able to give me a few legal pointers" I add.

"That is an excellent idea" Eric says.

Thalia nods approvingly, "You surprise me at every turn bre...Sookie, the way you think, you would make an excellent strategic vampire, it is such a shame that you don't want to join us"

I am surprised at the compliment and I thank her and turn my attention back to Eric, "I'll call Mr Cataliades tomorrow" I say and yawn, Eric looks fondly at me and stands.

"Come here, let me take you home you are tired" he says holding out his hand to me.

I take it and follow him from the bar. As we leave the vampires behind the bar say goodnight to me, I am surprised and politely say goodnight back.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I busy myself running errands, I stock up on blood and fetch Eric's suits from the cleaners. I decide to head over Bon Temps to work out what items of furniture I want to move to Eric's house.

I walk around the house, there is nothing in the kitchen I want, it is all new, replaced after the fire, and I haven't formed an emotional attachment to anything in here. I head to my bedroom and I know that I want my dressing table and mirror, it was my grandmothers and I really want that with me. So I put a post it note on it, eventually I decide to take all my bedroom furniture but there is nothing else which I really feel I need to take with me. I am about to leave when the house phone rings, I walk to it and pick it up.

"Hello" I say, and I am happy to hear Remy's voice.

"Oh hello Sookie I've been trying to contact you for days and I keep missing you" he says.

"Hi Remy I'm so sorry, things have happened recently and I totally forgot to inform you" I say apologetically. "I got married and now I live in Shreveport with my husband, we are keeping my home as a second home, but I am based in Shreveport now" I say.

"Oh...well congratulations!" Remy says, I can tell that he is surprised by my announcement.

"Thank you, now what can I do for you?" I ask.

"Well I was wondering if you could watch Hunter for me, but I'm not sure now, I mean your husband may not be too keen" he says.

I take a deep breath and explain what Eric is, "Remy, my husband isn't around in the day time, he is a vampire, now I know this may worry you and I totally understand if you don't want me to see Hunter any more, but I personally guarantee Hunters safety around Eric, he would not harm him" I say.

"Well...I don't know" Remy says uncertainly.

"I totally understand, but I will tell you that Hunter has already met Eric, when I kept him over night Eric arrived but I had gone to bed and he made his way to the vampire hole I had put in so he could see me when he rose, and that is located in the room Hunter was using, he woke up and saw Eric, but he assumed he had dreamed it when he told me about it the next day, but he said the man smiled at him and said hello to him and he wasn't afraid and he didn't feel threatened by him" I say.

"I see" Remy says, "Well Hunter told me about that encounter and I assumed he was dreaming, I can't say I'm altogether happy about the idea of vampires letting themselves into your home, but Hunter is ok so..." he stops.

"Remy, the only vampires allowed into my home are ones who I trust, and I can rescind their invitation at any time" I say.

"Ok...but you live in Shreveport now, so I am guessing that you live with this Eric and what if his vamp buddies decide to harm Hunter?" he asks.

"Remy, I really do understand your concern but you should also know that Eric is no ordinary vampire, he is the area sheriff of the whole of Northern Louisiana, and no vampire would dare disrespect Eric to harm anyone who is a guest in his house. Also you have to remember that vampires are not around in the day time, so they simply wouldn't be there when Hunter is" I say.

"You would guarantee Hunter's safety?" he asks.

"I would" I say.

"I'd like to meet your husband though before I left Hunter in your care again, just in case he does come into contact with my son" Remy says nervously.

"No problem, I'll tell Eric when he rises tonight that you'd like to meet him" I say.

"Perhaps we could arrange a time for me to drive over and meet with you both later?" Remy asks.

"No problem at all" I say, I quickly give him my cell phone number and we end the call. I quickly work through things in my mind, how would Eric feel about Hunter being in his home? I wasn't ever invited there until I was bonded with Eric so, maybe it is all unnecessary for Remy to meet Eric, as Hunter wouldn't even be going to our home in Shreveport. I put the thoughts out of my head and continue with my day.

After lunch I decide to go back to Shreveport and I go to Fangtasia and let myself in, I walk into Eric's office and see the tray marked filing and quickly file the papers away in the relevant folders in the huge filing cabinet Eric has in his office. That is all I feel comfortable doing, until I have received instruction from Eric, I look at the 'in' tray and I quickly look through the paperwork, it is mainly forms to be filled in, dreary mundane work of an area sheriff, I understand why Eric wants me to take on this job, there isn't a lot and it looks pretty straightforward and my confidence builds that I will be able to handle it, but I don't do anything until I have Eric with me to walk me through it once. I replace the papers and sit down at Eric's desk I take a deep breath and call my godfather, I hear the phone ring out and then I get a recorded message.

I quickly leave a message for him to call me and hang up. I wonder what I am going to do now, I really wanted to speak to him today and get all the advice from him that I can, as I think this the phone in my purse rings.

I quickly rummage for it and answer it, "Hello" I say.

"Sookie how are you my dear?" I smile at the genial voice of my godfather

"Mr Cataliades! I'm good, how are you?" I say brightly.

"Oh I can't complain" he replies, "Now tell me how can I be of service to you?" he asks.

"Well...I was after some advice actually" I say, I quickly run through everything and he listens carefully.

"I will come and see you – tell me Sookie, where are you?" he asks.

"Oh...I'm at Fangtasia at the moment, I was just running some errands" I say.

"I see, well I will make my way to Fangtasia now and we can discuss this face to face, are you agreeable with that?" he asks.

I smile, "No problem...and thank you" I say.

"It is my pleasure my dear" he says and with that the line goes dead.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

As I wait for Mr Cataliades to arrive, I wander out into the bar area, some of the human waitresses are there, starting to get things ready in time for opening and they all stare at me and mutter words of greeting. I smile back at them and after helping myself to a drink, I head back into Eric's office. I had hardly been there a moment when the door opened and Mr Cataliades appeared.

"Hello my dear, you are looking very well, now what can I do for you?" he asks kindly.

We sit down and after I remember my manners and offer him a drink which he politely declines, I pour out the whole story of how Eric had tricked me into marrying him, to protect me from Victor and Felipe when they took over Louisiana, how Freyda now wanted Eric for herself, and how she had come up with a wedding contract with Eric's maker, Ocella, before his death. I went on to tell him how Felipe was going to help Freyda get what she wanted until I mentioned we were now married, not only by vampire law but also by human law and how I had practically blackmailed Felipe into telling Freyda she couldn't have Eric. I laid out the whole story from beginning to end and recounted the conversation with Felipe word for word. To his credit Mr Cataliades doesn't flinch or show any emotion, he just looks at me and listens carefully until I have finished, his hands folded in his lap. When I stop talking I look at him carefully and questioningly.

"So, what do you think?" I ask.

I am surprised when he smiles widely at me, "You do not need any advice my dear you have handled things beautifully, you have made the law work for you, but you do realise Freyda won't allow this to go unpunished, she will seek revenge for your actions, you may have put yourself in grave danger and I wouldn't rely on Felipe to come to your aid despite your threat of exposure, as he will be seeking his own retribution for what he deems your lack of respect and insubordination, not to mention making him look very foolish, vampires do not like to be outwitted and wrong-footed by humans and you have done so quite spectacularly," he says.

I nod, "Oh I get that, which is why I am taking lessons with Thalia and Eric is teaching me everything he knows as well, so I can protect myself" I say. "And it wasn't a threat it was a promise, I was kind of hoping that you'd help me, if anything should happen to me, that you would give the whole story the human media?" I ask.

"Well that makes me far more confident about your survival," Mr Cataliades says.

He takes a deep breath and then continues. "Of course I would help you, I would be honoured to but if we manage this correctly it may not have to come to that. But it is always prudent to have a plan b. It may interest you to know that I have been instructed by Freyda to deal with the legalities of her marriage petition" he says.

I stare at him in shock, and go to protest when he holds up his hand to stop me, "so, that being the case, I will have to inform her that, legally speaking, she is unable to pursue it as the contract with Ocella is now null and void due to his final death, and also that Mr Northman is already married, and his wife is unwilling to file for divorce, and even if you were it would be a lengthy process as he is married in accordance with human law as well as vampire law" he adds with a grin.

I smile back at him, "Would you let me be there when you tell her? I really want to see her face when you tell her that?" I ask.

Mr Cataliades laughs, "I will arrange a meeting between Felipe, Freyda, Eric and yourself and I will be present as well, that way if things get unpleasant, we can remind Felipe he has sworn to protect you, Eric will certainly protect you and I will also be present to offer my assistance, should it come to that."

I stare at him, "You forget I am also pretty good at fighting and have a damn good kill record for a human" I say.

"Of course my dear and I have no doubts you will be even better by the time the meeting is arranged, if you are training with Eric and Thalia" he says with more than a hint of pride.

"Congratulations by the way on your marriage, I was aware of it, your great grandfather informed me of your...conversation with him in Las Vegas" he adds.

I look down at my hands, "yeah, I was a bit rude to him, I told him it was down to him that all the bad stuff had happened, I think I hurt his feelings" I say.

Mr Cataliades places his hand over both of mine, "You told him the truth child, if he had heeded Fintan's orders and followed his wishes then none of what came to pass would have happened" he says.

"Are all the Fae really gone for good?" I ask hopefully.

Mr Cataliades nods, "yes they are, and you won't see them again, I do have something to tell you though, as you know I swore an oath to Fintan to watch over you, well, now that your great grandfather has departed from this realm I feel I am now able to inform you of the motives behind your great grandfathers desire to meet you, and I also feel it is my duty in the event he should ever consider returning".

I feel my heart sinking that this, as it doesn't sound like it is going to be anything good or simply because he wanted to know me as he claimed.

Mr Cataliades squeezes my hands a little tighter, "Your grandfathers desire to seek you out wasn't totally down to the fact you are his kin, that was a part of it but not the entire reason, nor was the fact he sent Claude to live with you, although that was partly because of the ramifications of his actions and the danger posed from Coleman, but there was another reason he wanted to make contact with you but it appears he has abandoned those plans now, probably due to the fact you have now left your home in Bon Temps, so I feel secure and confident enough to explain them to you in the knowledge that I will not be placing you in any further danger".

I stare at him in shock, "What did he want from me?" I ask, wondering what on earth he is going to say.

Mr Cataliades sighs, "He was under the impression that Fintan gave your grandmother a Fae gift, a gift of great power to the owner and he was searching for that gift out of greed, because he wanted it for himself" he says.

"What gift?" I ask.

"It is called a Cluviel Dor and it is a Fae love charm, and it is incredibly powerful as the owner is granted what their heart desires, but with it comes great responsibility as with all magic, there are consequences to receiving what your heart desires" he explains.

"What does it look like? I mean would I know it if I saw it?" I ask.

Mr Cataliades nods, "Oh you would know it, you would be drawn to it, with your Fae blood, you would feel a need to be near it, wherever it is hidden as it give those with the blood of the Fae a sense of wellbeing and comfort - if it still exists, it is somewhere which you feel you cannot be parted from, somewhere you feel an emotional attachment to – but as you have now readily moved in with Eric here in Shreveport, I believe the Cluviel Dor no longer exists, if it ever did at all and I believe this is why Niall so readily agreed to leave this realm and seal the Faery, as he too has reached this conclusion." he says.

I nod, but I immediately know exactly where it is, its somewhere in the dressing table. My mind is reeling from this information, I am granted a wish – one wish, the possibilities are endless.

Mr Cataliades abruptly stands and looks at his watch, "I must be going, I have things to do" he says.

I stand and hug him, "thank you for seeing me and for telling me the truth about Niall" I say.

"It was my pleasure my dear child and I will contact you when I have arranged a meeting so we can ...disappoint Freyda!" he says with a wicked grin.

I laugh, "I really don't want to miss that moment" I say.

We say our goodbyes and Mr Cataliades leaves. I head out to my car and decide to go home and wait for Eric to rise, it's late afternoon now and shouldn't be long as the day is overcast and dull.

I get back and my mind is working overtime with everything I have been told today. I pace around anxious for Eric to rise and as soon as I feel him stirring, I head to his resting place and meet him.

As I open the door he is climbing out from underneath the bed and he smiles at me.

"Good evening my wife, you have come to meet me as I rise" he says and opens his arms to me, I walk into them and he holds me.

"You are agitated, you need to talk to me, what has happened?" he asks with more than a hint of worry in his voice.

I shake my head, "So much has happened today which I need to discuss with you, I don't know where to start - but none of it is bad, I promise" I say.

Eric nods and a quickly dresses and I lead him out to the lounge area, I climb into his lap and offer him my neck, I hear him moan appreciatively as he bites and drinks from me. This inevitably leads to Eric becoming very sexually aroused and then there is tearing of clothing and frantic love making and everything I wanted to talk about is forgotten in the heat of passion. It is only when we are both sated and showering that both Eric and I remember that I needed to talk to him.

"What did you need to tell me, wife of mine?" he asks.

I turn and face him and his hands move over me as the water beats down on us and I place my hands on his chest and begin to talk.

"Well...First of all, Remy called me, that's Hunter's dad, he asked me if I'd watch Hunter for him, I told him I was married now and who I was married to, and he'd really like to meet you, I told him that you wouldn't be around if I needed to take care of Hunter in the day, but I think he just wants to satisfy himself that you wouldn't harm his son...and you wouldn't would you Eric?" I say looking up at him.

Eric shakes his head, "No, the child would be safe with me, but I don't want him here, if you want to take care of the child I won't stop you as he is your kin, but not here, he will have to go to the house in Bon Temps" he says firmly.

"I thought that too and I had already decided that would be best" I say as I nod in agreement.

"And there will be no over night visits" Eric adds.

I nod, "I don't think there would be anyway, now that Remy knows I'm married to a vampire" I say.

"Alright, when does he want to meet me?" he asks tightly, and I can tell he really doesn't want to do this and is only complying because of his love for me.

"He said he would call and arrange something this evening with us" I say.

"What else is troubling you?" Eric asks.

I smile widely and shake my head, "Nothing, I'm excited, I called Mr Cataliades and he said I...well we had done totally the right thing and that legally Freyda is a dead duck, she doesn't have a case and, get this... he was asked by Freyda to handle the wedding thing between her and you, so he is going to tell her to take a hike and tell her that you are married and that your wife isn't letting you go" I say and I wrap my arms around him to physically emphasise that fact.

Eric chuckles and pulls me close, "I would pay to see that" he says.

"You don't have to, I've arranged with Mr Cataliades that he is going get Felipe and Freyda to meet with us when he tells her – so that Felipe can't wriggle out of his oath to protect me and if needs be, force him to deny her request and also if she tries anything it will be witnessed and dealt with" I say.

Eric kisses me hard, "You are amazing" he says when he comes up for air.

"I try" I retort with a grin, and Eric moans and lifts pressing me up against the shower wall and in one swift thrust he impales me and I gasp "Aren't you done yet?" I ask as I wrap my legs around his waist drawing him deeper.

"I am never done with you wife of mine" he growls in my ear.

When we eventually make it out of the shower, we head downstairs and I hear my phone ringing, I quickly run and answer it.

"Hello" I say.

"Hello Sookie, its Remy, listen I'm in Shreveport at the moment can we meet up while I am here when your husband...you know... wakes up?" he asks awkwardly.

I glance at Eric, "are you alone?" I ask.

"Yeah, Hunter is with my girlfriend at the moment" he explains.

"Ok, do you know Fangtasia?" I ask.

"Yeah I've heard of it, it's a vampire bar" he says stiffly.

"Yes I know it is, because my husband owns it – so we'll meet you there in about half an hour?" I ask.

"Ok fine but how will I get in, I'm not dressed for a club?" he asks.

"Don't worry I'll let them know, just tell the person on the door who you are and that you are there to see Sookie and Eric and they will let you in" I say.

"Ok" he says nervously, I assure him he will be safe and by the time we hang up I am fairly certain I have convinced him he won't be eaten.

I call Pam and relay the information and a brief description of Remy, Pam assures me he will be fine and that she is on the door tonight and will handle everything.

"Be nice to him, he's my family" I say.

"I'm always nice" she retorts.

Eric looks at me and pulls me close, "Something is worrying you" he states.

I nod, "I just hope Remy doesn't stop me from seeing Hunter, I'm really fond of that little boy" I say.

Eric cocks his head to the side, "Do you regret marrying me?" he asks.

I stare at him, wondering where that came from, "NO" I exclaim, "Whatever made you think that?" I ask.

"You have a fondness for that child and it appears that the father may stop you seeing his child because of me, then there is also the fact that you would make an excellent mother, and I cannot give you children," he says.

I shake my head firmly, "No, don't you ever think that, yes I do admit kids would have been nice, under different circumstances, but I accept that is not possible and that's _not_ because I am married to you, I made the decision long ago not to have children as I couldn't knowingly risk giving an innocent child my gift, but if I could guarantee not passing on my telepathy I would have loved to have children, but I can't so it is irrelevant" I say with a shrug.

Eric is looking closely at me and I pull him close to me, "You are all I want, you are all I need, I have made my choice and I am happy with it and I was overjoyed when Hunter came into my life but if Remy is that narrow minded then, well... " I say trailing off as just thinking about that has made me too angry to contemplate what I would do should that happen.

Eric pulls me into a tight embrace and just holds me, "If I could give you a child I would" he says quietly.

"I know, but it's not going to happen, so lets not dwell on it" I say.

Eric nods and we head out to Fangtasia. We arrive hand in hand and Pam greets us.

"He is here, I put him in Eric's office and took him a drink he was ...grateful" she says with a smirk.

"What did you do Pam?" Eric asks.

"Nothing" she says, now looking a picture of innocence.

We head back to Eric's office and as we enter Remy jumps from his seat like a scolded cat. "Hi Remy, I see you have a drink can I get you anything else?" I say brightly.

Remy shakes his head, "No thank you" he says and he warily looks past me towards Eric.

I watch as Eric steps forward and extends his hand to Remy and smiles at him, I am almost bursting with love that he is doing this for me.

"Good evening Mr Savoy it is a pleasure to meet you, I'm Eric Northman, Sookie's husband" he says.

"Hello...erm you are not what I expected" Remy says.

Eric smiles again, and gestures to the sofa, and Remy sits down, Eric sits beside him and casually turns and rests his leg on his other knee, so he is angled towards Remy. He has spread himself out and although he looks relaxed and casual he is obviously intimidating Remy and that is his intention.

"In what way?" Eric asks him politely.

"Well ...I'm sorry, this sounds pretty offensive - even to me, but you are the first Vampire I've met and I had these preconceived ideas about y'all" he says.

Eric laughs, "I assure you that there are more than a few of us who would more than live up to your pre conceived ideas, but I am a modern vampire who has opted to mainstream, this means I take advantage of the supply of bottled synthetic blood and I don't attack and feed from humans" he says.

"Did you know my ex wife...Hadley?" he asks.

Eric nods, "Not personally, but I knew of her, she was the companion of the late queen Sophie Ann, but it wasn't until later that it came to my attention that she was a relative of my wife". He says.

"Sookie told me that you have...met my son?" Remy says carefully trying not to make it sound accusing.

Eric nods again, "Yes, I wanted to see Sookie as soon as I rose, and so I let myself into her home during the night as I have a standing invitation there and she has a secure place for me to rest during the daytime. I went to access it and your son was occupying the room it is situated in, he was awake when I entered the room and I tried not to alarm him so I just smiled and said hello to him, he soon fell asleep again and I assumed he would think he had dreamt the encounter"

Remy listens and nods "thank you for that" he says.

Eric nods, "Tell me have I passed?" he asks, his tone has turned arctic and I stiffen at the change in his demeanour.

Remy has also noticed that change and looks at Eric carefully.

"I am just concerned for my son, you couldn't possibly understand you are not a father, you are not even human" he says rudely.

I stand up and step forward, I am so angry I could slap Remy for saying that, I also know I am feeling Eric's anger, he hasn't reacted but I can feel it bubbling under the surface through the bond but he is controlling it for me and this makes me all the more determined to stand up for my husband.

"You take that back Remy Savoy, I cannot believe you said that, do you realise how insulting that was?! Eric was a father once and a damn good one" I spit.

Remy goes to speak again but I stop him, I am on roll now "Don't you dare Remy, you show my husband some damn respect, he has been nothing but polite and respectful to you and quite frankly if you had said that to any other vampire you wouldn't be sitting there right now, my husband is..." I stop as Eric reaches out and touches my arm.

"Sookie, it's alright" he says and he returns his hard gaze to Remy and I watch as his fangs descend a little which betrays the anger he is feeling.

"Not that it is any of your business and I would like to make it clear to you that if anyone else had insulted me as you just have I wouldn't be so...understanding, but you are Sookie's family and I will not disrespect her or make your son suffer by killing you, but I was a father once so I do understand your concern, but Sookie is my wife and I would not harm any of her human family as that would be totally disrespectful to her" Eric's tone is clipped and sharp and Remy realises that he has angered and seriously offended him and that possibly he is still lucky to be sitting there alive.

"I apologise" Remy stammers, "How old are you exactly?" he asks and I cringe slightly, but Eric doesn't react and answers the question.

"I am over a thousand years old, I am uncertain of my exact age but when I was a human I was a Viking warrior" he says.

Remy stares at Eric not able to comprehend the length of time. "My progeny who you met when you arrived is over 200 years old" Eric adds just to blow Remy's mind even further.

"Who?" he asks and he glances at me.

"Pam" I reply, "the dark haired female vampire who was on the door when you arrived and who brought you in here" I say.

"She is a vampire? And you are her...?" Remy stammers turning back to Eric

Eric nods "She is my progeny, I am her maker – her father if you like, I sired her, made her a vampire" he says proudly.

"Did you force her?" Remy asks and I take in a sharp breath, I am insulted for Eric by that question.

Eric shakes his head, "No I gave her the choice" he says. "I was forced into being what I am, I was turned against my will, and I would never turn anyone against their wishes" he turns and looks at me as he says this and I reach for his hand.

"Eric wouldn't hurt Hunter" I say.

Remy nods, "Ok" he says eventually, "Look I'm sorry if I have offended you, I didn't mean to be rude, but I have to look out for my son" he says.

Eric nods but says nothing for a moment but when he does speak he shocks both me and Remy.

"Tell me, the boy...he has gifts?" Eric says.

I stiffen and Remy takes a shot look at me. How the hell does Eric know that?

Remy nods "yes" he says.

"He is a telepath, like Sookie" Eric says his eyes gleaming coldly.

"Yes" Remy says again.

Eric nods and leans forward, "then you would be wise to allow Sookie to remain in the boys life, he is going to need her as he matures, she will teach him to control his gift and teach him to keep himself concealed from people who will wish to use him for his talents" Eric says.

"People who will want to use him?" Remy splutters.

Eric nods, "Vampires are particularly greedy when it comes to possessing something with a rare talent" he says.

I look at him carefully. Eric grips my hand tighter.

"I fight constantly to stop Sookie being used, I get petitions from most vampire state monarchs requesting the use of her talents and some even go as far taking over states to try and secure her for themselves" he says.

"And you stop them?" Remy asks in astonishment.

Eric nods, "I do, because I love her" he says simply.

This is news to me and it sets off a flurry of ideas in my head. Then it occurs to me what Eric is doing, he is fighting for me, he is trying to make sure that I will still get to see Hunter, Eric speaks again and I smile at his words.

"If my presence concerns you then I'm sure Sookie could visit with the boy at her home in Bon Temps during daylight hours that way he wouldn't have any possible chance of coming into contact with me, but it would also mean there could be no over night visitations as Sookie now lives with me," Eric says.

Remy nods, "If that is ok with you Sookie I'd be fine with that idea? I don't want Hunter to suffer and I realise that with his...gift he needs the guidance of someone who understands him" he says.

Eric stands up and smiles, "That's settled then" he says letting Remy know the meeting is over.

Remy stands and offers Eric his hand again but I step forward, I won't make Eric shake hands again.

"Remy, you should know that as a rule Vampires don't like physical contact and it's not customary for them to shake hands" I say and Remy looks at Eric in surprise realising he was going against his nature previously just to be polite and he quickly withdraws his hand.

"It was nice to meet you Eric" he says sincerely and nods at Eric.

Eric returns the nod but doesn't say anything. With that Remy takes his leave. We follow and I watch all the vampires staring at Remy as he makes his way though the bar, Thalia drifts over towards us and looks at me questioningly.

"Can you give us five minutes?" Eric asks and she nods and goes back to the bar.

"That was another Vampire?" Remy whispers as he watches Thalia go.

I nod, "yeah, and she is one of the ones who is your worst nightmare" I say. I look up and Thalia is staring straight at me and I know she has heard every word.

Remy swallows hard and quickly leaves, I watch him go and then pull Eric back to his office.

"Thank you for that" I say.

Eric shrugs, "the child means something to you and I wasn't going to allow his prejudice of vampires to stop you from seeing his son, even though I wanted to rip his head off when he insulted me" he says dismissively.

"How did you know Hunter is a telepath?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "The night I met him, he looked at me and he asked me 'what are you?' Instead of, 'who are you?' Then you told me he was Hadley's son and I put two and two together that he must share your gift," he explains.

I look at him carefully, "Please don't tell anyone, I want him to grow up normally" I say.

Eric pulls me close, "I won't, I know how your gift can sometimes seem like a curse, I will help you conceal his talent" he vows and presses a kiss to my head.

"Was that true what you said about state monarchs wanting to use me?" I ask.

Eric nods and goes to the filing cabinet and pulls two box files off the top and opens them, both are packed with correspondence and I lean over and take a look, taking in the letterheads, practically every state is accounted for, I am known countrywide and I suddenly feel very vulnerable.

"I will protect you" Eric says firmly and pulls me into another embrace.

"God I love you so much" I say and I reach up and kiss him.

We are disturbed by knocking and Eric calls out, the door opens and Thalia stands there with an enormous box almost as big as her, Eric smiles widely and is almost salivating as he looks inside.

"What have you got there?" I ask as I move closer.

"Weapons" Thalia says.

"Oh" I reply.

Eric pushes the furniture back, and then like a child opening his Christmas gifts he delves into the box and lets out a cry of delight, pulling out a sword he swings it around his head and does moves which are beautiful to watch and I stare at him in awe of his agility.

Thalia shakes her head, "Stop showing off" she snaps, and like lightening she flies at him and yanks the sword away from him. I am in awe that she clearly had the superior strength to achieve that but Eric just throws his head back and laughs.

"You have no sense of fun!" he says.

"I am here to teach your wife how to fight and all you want to do is showboat with a sword" Thalia grumbles.

Eric grins and chuckles as he rummages through the box once more, his smile vanishes as he picks up two wooden stakes.

"You are practicing with these?" he asks.

"And why not, scared your wife will end you?" she says, taunting him.

I gulp, "I can't fight Eric at all let alone with one of those" I say.

"No, but you can fight me" Thalia says. "I won't let you kill me, I'm not ready to die yet!" she says and taking a stake from Eric throws it to me. "Let's begin breather, let's see how much you have learnt" she says.

I catch the stake and stare at it, then I look up and look Thalia straight in the eye, "I have told you before, my name is Sookie not breather" I say and with that I leap at Thalia.

Eric is encouraging me and instead of giving me verbal instructions he is watching me and when I do something good he floods me with positivity and when I make an error I get negativity, I find it really helpful and it helps me to read the situations I am in and after a while I find myself anticipating Thalia's moves and I decide to try something to see if I can fool her, it's a risk but I decide to go for it, so I move suddenly surprising her and just as quickly I grab her and pin her to the floor the stake aimed at her chest. The look of shock on her face is priceless.

"My name is Sookie" I say to her and Eric laughs as he helps me up. He kisses me and I am flooded in the pride and positivity I am getting through the bond from him.

"My work here is done, I can teach you no more, you just need to be ruthless and follow through with your attack," Thalia says as she gets up off the floor.

"Oh don't worry about that, if I have to I won't hesitate" I say confidently. I am buzzing for getting one over on Thalia and I'm feeling a little drunk on all the positivity I am receiving from Eric.

Thalia stares at me, "No I don't believe you will, well done...Sookie" she says, and with that she turns and leaves, but I can't help but think that behind that grudging respect she showed me she is smarting that I got the better of her.

I look up at Eric, and he is gushing with his praise, "You astound me, you have learnt so fast, you have taken everything that Thalia has taught you and everything that I have shown you and you have absorbed it like a sponge, you are incredible" he says and he walks towards me and taking the stake from my hand throws it to the ground before sweeping me up into his arms.

"Eric, will you teach me to swing a sword like you did, it was awesome to watch?" I ask.

He nods and reaches for the sword and hands it to me, he stands behind me and puts my hands in the correct position on the sword, he has his arms around me and his hands are around my wrists.

"Ok then are you ready?" he asks.

I nod, "Let's do it" I say.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The next day I am eagerly awaiting the bedroom furniture to arrive from Bon Temps, as soon as it does, I get the removal men to place them in the bedroom upstairs that I used to use, I don't want anyone going into the room where Eric rests, even though we now have extra security to prevent any access to the underground chamber. I had severe reservations about anyone coming into Eric's home during the day at all and I listened to the three removal men carefully. I was surprised to discover that they were all human and they all knew Eric and they were all fiercely loyal to him, I immediately remembered Greg and wondered if these men also owed their lives to Eric in some way and my love for the big blond Viking grew even more at that thought.

I feel the same feelings of comfort and wellbeing as I have always felt as soon as I laid eyes on the furniture, and I am totally convinced now that a Cluviel Dor is hidden somewhere in this dressing table. I realise with all the business with Remy last night I never got around to telling Eric about what Mr Cataliades said about Niall and the Cluviel Dor. I go over the furniture with a fine tooth comb and take it all apart and I can't find anything, I go over it once more and re-examine it then with more than a hint of disappointment I start to put it all back together and as I am doing so, Eric finds me.

"What are you doing?" he asks as he wanders in towards me.

"Searching" I say.

"For what?" he asks.

"Have you ever heard of a Cluviel Dor?" I ask, as I push a drawer back in and stand up.

Eric's eyes widen and he stares at me in shock.

"I'll take that as a yes" I say as I note his reaction, and I wonder briefly if I have done the right thing by telling him, as vampires are notoriously selfish when it comes to items of power.

"How do you know of such a thing?" Eric asks.

"Mr Cataliades told me of my great grandfathers real motives for wanting to get to know me, he was under the impression that his son Fintan had given my grandmother a Cluviel Dor and she had hidden it somewhere in the house, and he - Niall that is, wanted it for himself, that is the reason he originally sought me out, it didn't have anything to do with wanting to know me at all" I say bitterly.

Eric walks towards me and pulls me gently into his arms.

"Sookie, Cluviel Dors are incredibly rare and hard to make, they are also typical of the trickiness of the Fae they are...unpredictable, they give the user their greatest desire, but to offset the happiness that wish produces, it causes something bad to also happen to balance things out, its called the Cluviel curse, I have seen first hand what power those charms possess, they are not to be used unadvisedly, I suggest you put this back together and do not mention it again or tell anyone the story Cataliades told you, as it would put you in extreme danger" he says.

I nod, "Mr Cataliades thinks it's lost or been used because apparently I would feel a pull towards it and not be able to leave it, but I left my home and moved in with you" I say.

"But you insisted on bringing this furniture with you" Eric says.

I shake my head, "I've had the whole thing apart and not found anything. As for the furniture I just like it Eric - it belonged to my grandmother, it holds a sentimental value to me" I say. But I know I am protesting too much, I know the Cluviel Dor is hidden inside somewhere, I just haven't found it. I glance at the dressing table and Eric looks over it.

"There could be a secret drawer concealed somewhere, I have seen over the years how the makers did that, he walks over to the dressing table and removes the drawer once more then he reaches inside the top of the dressing table and feels around, he pauses suddenly and smiles.

"Here do you see," he says and I walk over and look, I peer where he is pointing and see a miniscule dent in the wood.

"That's it?" I ask.

Eric laughs, "that is the access to the secret compartment" he says and he effortlessly presses the dent and I hear a click, then Eric fumbles at the back of the dressing table and I see a tiny shallow drawer pull out, inside is a velvet drawstring bag and an envelope. Eric retrieves them and hands them to me.

I open the bag and a small object falls out, it looks like a powder compact with a gold hinge on it and I turn it over, I know instinctively that this is the Cluviel Dor, the sensation I am getting from it, the feelings of well being and love are almost overwhelming me.

"This is it" I whisper and then open the envelope.

I gasp at my grandmother's handwriting and tears well up in my eyes, I sit down suddenly on the bed in a flash Eric is beside me.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"My grandmother wrote me a letter" I whisper and I hold up the letter.

I wipe the tears away and begin to read.

_Dear Sookie_

_This letter is addressed to you because I know in my heart that you will find it some day. You are special Sookie, and we are not just talking about your little problem, I had no idea when I took the blood of the demon that you would be so affected by it._

_I am going to tell you something, it may be something that you already know as I do intend to tell you personally when you are old enough to understand._

More tears fall as I read this, she had died before she had chance to explain everything to me. I continue to read.

_Firstly I want you to know I loved your grandfather very much, but we were unable to have children, I thought that I could cope with that but when I met Fintan and he told me he could give me what I wanted so badly, I lost all sense of reason. It was like he bewitched me. _

_I think I don't need to explain to you what I did, as a Christian woman I should be ashamed for cheating on my husband, and sleeping with another man yet I feel no guilt, I was gifted with two beautiful children - your father and your aunt, and in turn I was blessed with grand children. When I discovered I was pregnant Fintan came to see me and brought the demon with him who said he had a gift for me, he gave me this drink and told me that it gave protection to me and the baby I carried and from that moment on any member of Fintan's line who possessed the essential spark would be protected by the gift it contained. I had no idea what he meant, but I thought I was doing the right thing._

_Fintan returned periodically, and when your father and aunt were born he brought the demon and it was established that neither possessed the essential spark, then Fintan died. The demon came to tell me he had been killed, but assured me that he had been tasked to keep an eye on Fintan's lineage._

_Jason and Hadley were born and the demon returned and once again it was established that they didn't possess the essential spark, then you my beautiful girl arrived, and the demon told me that not only did you possess this essential spark, but that it was incredibly strong in you, he said you were special, he told me that he would watch over you and he was something like a godfather to you, but I guess it was all talk as I never saw him again after that day._

_I realised just how different you were from a young age and I realised it was my fault, I never intended for you to suffer the way you did but you are strong and you have turned out so well and I am incredibly proud of you._

_The last time I saw Fintan before he died, he gave me the bag which hopefully is still with this letter, he told me it was a token of his devotion to me, he said it is a fairy love charm called something special but I forget its proper name, he told me that I could use it to grant one wish, my hearts desire, I never used it as I had already been given my greatest wish, and that was my children. I know in my heart you will find this some day and it will probably be after you know everything and so none of this letter will be a great surprise to you. I hope that you find it of use and it brings you your greatest wish._

_I love you my darling grand daughter _

_Your grandmother, Adele x_

I look up at Eric "well there we go" I say.

Eric pulls me close and I feel him pouring love into our bond.

"We should return this to its hiding place" Eric says gently.

I nod and hand him the letter and bag and he carefully replaces it in the drawer. Then he helps me put the dressing table back together.

"Do you want this furniture in this room?" he asks.

I shake my head, "I was wondering if it could go in the underground room where you rest because I spend the night in there now?" I ask.

Eric nods, "an excellent idea and it will also be better protected in my hidden underground resting place" he says.

When we have finished placing the furniture I approach a subject I want to discuss after last night.

"Eric" I begin.

He turns and smiles at me, "Yes my wife" he says.

"You know how you have all those monarch petitioning you to use my gifts, well I just want to say thank you for protecting me" I say.

Eric pauses and looks carefully at me, "I see" he says.

I nod, "I had no idea I was so well known" I say.

Eric nods, "Sophie Ann liked to brag and having you work for her, gave her some serious bragging rights at summits and the like, word got around, so it was inevitable that when she became incapacitated someone would try to take over to try and secure the use of you" he says.

"So she died because of me?" I ask staring at Eric in shock.

Eric shakes his head, "No you misunderstand, when a monarch becomes vulnerable which Sophie Ann did after Rhodes, the vultures start circling, it is inevitable, Sophie Ann was a good monarch but she suffered a series of circumstances which made Louisiana and subsequently her personally very weak, first there was Katrina which devastated New Orleans which was the focal point for the vampire community and the main financial hot spot for the state, after Katrina the whole state was turned upside-down and area 5 which was traditionally the poor relation became the breadwinner for the entire state, we had Compton and his database and the revenue that brought in. Then Rhodes happened, you were getting to be a topic of gossip before Rhodes and then when you raised the alarm and helped locate trapped vampires and you were given the name the 'Angel of Rhodes' that was when vampires started to really sit up and take notice, and make enquiries about you and where you were from and who owned you," Eric pauses as interrupt him angrily.

"Nobody owns me" I retort, Eric nods and wraps his arms around me.

"I know, I'm trying to explain it from a vampire point of view, first of all you had Sophie Ann bragging to anyone who would listen about how she had secured the services of a telepath, that caused envy, that same telepath saves numerous vampires from the devastation of Rhodes, this makes the envy greater and you an attractive prize to try and obtain and so when it became clear that Sophie Ann was incapacitated at Rhodes and personally, physically weak the opportunity to take over a state presented itself, this is common place and which has happened previously when a state has been weakened – but only if there is something within that state worth the risk of the takeover, in the case of Louisiana there was, there was the revenue of the database which Compton devised and there was...you. Felipe was obsessed by the prospect of whisking you back to Nevada and locking you up in his palace, I couldn't allow that to happen, your life wouldn't have been your own and well...my own personal agenda also played a large part, as I love you Sookie" he stops and strokes my face, pushing my hair back and he presses his cool lips to mine, I close my eyes and fall into the kiss. "I couldn't let you go, I love you too much, and marrying you was the only way I could see to protect you from Felipe and Victor and help you keep your independence which I know you value greatly and since it became common knowledge that I was your husband I started getting petitions from monarchs asking to use your talents" he stops speaking and I am stunned.

I think a moment then look up into his face, and voice the idea I have been mulling over, "Thank you and I love you too, now I have a radical idea, why don't we take advantage of these requests?" I ask.

Eric looks at me questioningly, "What are you suggesting?" he asks.

"Well..." I say, "why don't we put together a kind of contract setting out exactly what I am willing to do, and for how long and how I expect to be treated while in the service of the monarch requesting me and then we charge for the privilege of using my ...gift" I say.

Eric thinks about this and I can tell he can see the merit in it, "It would prevent Felipe from doing anything" he says.

I nod, "Plus he would get some revenue from what I earn so that should keep him happy" I say.

"I don't feel happy about letting you disappear to different states, a contract is only as good as the honour of the vampire signing it and I fear you would be too attractive a proposition and it is my concern that you would be abducted and held against your will" Eric says.

"Then come with me" I say immediately, "I would prefer it if you were with me, I'd feel safer, plus Monarchs wouldn't try to take advantage of me if you were there to oversee things" I add.

Eric stands and starts to pace, as he is thinking carefully, "I would have to give up my position of Area Sheriff" he says.

"Well that is a consideration...look it was just an idea" I say quickly as I realise that Eric won't want to give up his position of authority for me, he likes being a big fish in a little pond.

"It is a very good idea and it is very tempting, I can see us making a good living if we were to do it properly, and it would put you on the same sleeping schedule as me if you were working for vampires which would mean we would get to spend more time together – especially in between contracts, and we would have the control over how much you do and when you do it so we would have quality time to spend together" he says.

I nod, "but I understand if you don't want to give up your position as Sheriff you have worked hard to get where you are" I say.

"That position doesn't hold the same appeal it once had" Eric says.

"Since the new regime came in" I say and Eric nods.

"Well, hopefully part of that regime is going to be ...eliminated soon when we can get around to organising it, and as for Felipe well we can handle him" I say confidently.

Eric grins at me, "You are very persuasive and I can see the advantages of this, will you give me time to consider it carefully?" he asks.

I nod, "Of course I will, this will affect you as much as it will me and remember we are a team!" I say.

Eric laughs and pulls me close, "indeed we are Mrs Northman" he says.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I am taken by surprise by a phone call from Mr Cataliades. I am tidying and making plans for what to do when Eric rises tonight. When my phone starts ringing.

"Hello" I say.

"Sookie my dear, how are you?" Mr Cataliades says.

"Mr Cataliades how nice to hear from you, I'm very well thank you" I say.

"I am very pleased to hear that, I have arranged a meeting with Felipe and Freyda, and it will take place in my Louisiana office in Shreveport in three night's time" he says.

"So...that's Tuesday night" I say.

"That is correct, I have spoken with Felipe and he is now supporting the stance that the contract between Freyda and Ocella is void as Ocella has met his demise and he has made it clear to me that he is reluctant to release Eric from his role as Area Sheriff, however, it doesn't appear he has relayed this decision to Freyda" he says.

"So, she still thinks she going to marry Eric and he is going to go with her to Oklahoma?" I ask.

"It would appear so" he replies.

A sudden thought occurs to me about what we were discussing last night, "Erm, if Eric were to want to resign as Area Sheriff and do something else would he have to get Felipe's permission to do so?" I ask.

There is a pause, "Not permission exactly, but it is customary for a Sheriff to seek the blessing of his monarch before leaving his post, but in Eric's case this would be Victor as the regent rather than Felipe" Mr Cataliades says, there is another pause then he speaks again, "Why do you ask?" he asks.

"Because, Eric and I came up with a potential business opportunity last night but it would mean him having to resign as sheriff, I don't want to say anything yet as it is just musings at the moment and nether of us are sure about anything for certain" I say.

"I see, well you know where I am if you need to seek any legal advice" Mr Cataliades says.

"I do and thank you" I say, "I'll tell Eric about the meeting, he is looking forward to seeing the look on Freyda's face when she is told to take a hike and keep her greedy, thieving, home wrecking hands off of my husband" I say with a giggle.

"I won't be phrasing it quite like that my dear, but if I am not mistaken and she gets out of line I do believe that you will" he says.

"Oh you bet I will" I say firmly.

I hear a coarse laugh, "Then it appears it won't just be you and Eric who will be looking forward to this meeting" Mr Cataliades says.

After I hang up I continue with my jobs and look forward to Eric rising so I can tell him about the meeting which Mr Cataliades has arranged, I am feeling happy and settled now that I know I am not going to be forced to be separated from Eric and we have plans ridding ourselves of Victor and of setting up a new business venture.

I feel better than I have for a while, things seem to be finally coming together and since I married Eric I have found almost a new purpose, also the seed of an idea which first popped into my mind a while ago is continuing to get stronger and more appealing, especially as I see growing evidence every day of just how much Eric loves me.

I look outside and see the sun shining and I decide that I am going to take advantage and catch a few rays. I change into my bikini and drag out a chair into the back garden and settle myself into it and close my eyes and soak up the sun. I decide that I will have my garden furniture brought over from Bon Temps as obviously Eric doesn't have any.

I'm not sure how long I spend out there but I feel on top of the world when I decide to head inside, I drag the chair back inside and head to the room upstairs to pull on some more suitable clothes. I walk downstairs to see Eric appearing at the bottom, my face breaks into a huge smile at the sight of him; he stands and holds out his arms.

"Jump" he commands.

Without a moment's hesitation I leap off the step and into his waiting arms, he spins me around as I grip him with my arms and legs and he kisses me.

"Hmm, you smell of the sun" he says.

I laugh, "It was a lovely day so I took advantage for a while" I say.

"It smells good on you" he says and nuzzles my neck before sinking his fangs in and drinking from me. I moan and rub against him; Eric carries me into the lounge area and deposits me on the sofa trapping me beneath him. He moans and growls as his hands dextrously remove his and my clothing and as I reach down to stroke him he thrusts into me.

"Sookie" he moans and starts to move, "This is best" he says and he bites my neck again and drinks some more before pulling away and offering me his neck.

"Eric I can't, I make such a mess, because my teeth are too blunt" I say.

He smiles and a moment later he has pierced his own neck with his claw like fingers.

"Drink" he says and I latch on to his neck and drink from him.

As I lick his neck, he moans and moves faster and faster before stilling and letting out a roar as he reaches his completion at exactly the same time as I reach mine.

"Wow" I say unable to articulate anything else and Eric nuzzles against me.

"The smell of the sun on your skin it is ...intoxicating" he mumbles his nose still buried in my neck.

"Well, my Fae ancestry is Sky Fae so that accounts for why I enjoy lying in the sun; perhaps it has enhanced my dash of fairy blood?" I say.

Eric nods, "Whatever it is I love it" he says.

I giggle, "I'll remember that" I say.

I remember Mr Cataliades' call and slap Eric's arm excitedly. "Oh Eric I forgot, Mr Cataliades called, he has set up that meeting with Felipe and Freyda, he said he has spoken to Felipe and he told him that he was going to refuse Freyda, saying the contract is void now" I say.

Eric pulls away from me and listens carefully, "When is it?" he asks.

"Tuesday" I say.

Eric raises his eyebrows, "So soon, that's only three days away" he says. "And they are travelling here?" he asks.

I shrug, "I believe so, he said it would be at his Louisiana office in Shreveport, and the sooner the better if you ask me, then we can concentrate on getting rid of Victor and hopefully then we can just get on with our lives!" I say.

Eric kisses me once more, "I have been considering your business proposal about harnessing your talent and creating a business from it, I'm willing if you are, we could discuss it with Mr Cataliades and he could help us put together a comprehensive contract that we get prospective clients to sign."

I fling my arms around him, "Thank you, it's going to be brilliant, we make such a good team" I say.

Eric grins "You have completed me, I have walked this earth alone for so many years, admittedly I had Pam with me for a time but since you came into my life I have felt alive again, a feeling I've not had for centuries," he says.

"I love you" I whisper and press a kiss to his lips once more.

We are disturbed by a knock at the door, Eric glances in the direction and then turns to me, "Can you sense who it is?" he asks.

I open my mind up and listen and shake my head, "No not really, we are too far away" I say.

Eric stands and we move closer and I reach out again, "Vampire" I say as I feel the familiar void outside the door.

"How many?" Eric asks.

"Just one" I say.

Eric frowns, "fetch a stake and keep it close" he says and he kisses me, "wait here" he adds.

I run to fetch a stake and when I return I feel my heart pounding as he walks towards the door; I listen hard and grip the stake tightly.

"Sookie!" I hear the relieved call and I step forward. I walk towards the door and smile as I see Bubba standing smiling his lopsided smile at us.

"Hi Bubba" I say brightly as I relax my grip on the stake.

"Miss Sookie, Mr Bill has asked me to come and get you. Your house, it has been broken into" he says. I look up at Eric and he immediately pulls out his phone and calls Pam.

"Pam, head over to Bon Temps, Compton has sent Bubba here as Sookie's house has allegedly been broken into, head over there and check things out, I don't trust Compton. If it appears it is true call me, if I don't hear from you I will know it is one of Compton's games," Eric says.

"You don't think he would seriously lie just to get me to go over to Bon Temps?" I ask, giving Eric an incredulous look.

Eric shrugs, "He hasn't called you directly, something that important would warrant a call rather than a messenger" he says.

I blush, "He can't call me, he doesn't have my cell phone number, I blocked him, he only has my home telephone number, my home in Bon Temps that is," I say.

Eric stares at me patiently, "I too have a telephone Sookie, he has my number so could and should have called that, if it was urgent" Eric says.

A sinking feeling in my stomach makes me sigh, "What is he playing at?" I ask.

Eric shrugs again, "It appears he isn't giving up on you" he says coldly.

"But I'm married, he knows this!" I say.

Eric pulls me close, "We will establish what is happening don't worry" he says.

Eric texts Pam to tell her we are going to Fangtasia and that we will meet her there later if she has any news.

When we arrive with Bubba in tow he ambles off across the car park, muttering something about cats and Eric and I head inside.

I spend the evening waiting for Pam to call, but as the time wears on I feel more and more dispirited as we get no contact from her. Eric tries to take my mind off things by walking me through the administrative tasks he wants me to do, and I am grateful for the distraction.

He was right it is straight forward and I should have no problem taking on the role Eric wants me to, he gives me some forms to fill out and when I have completed them he checks them and announces that they are perfect. He shows me several more tasks which he thinks I am capable of fulfilling when the door opens, we look up and there stands Pam with a grim expression.

"Pam" I say and stand and walk towards her.

Eric frowns and is beside me in a moment.

"Felipe is here" Pam says flatly, "He and Bill were waiting for you at your house, I hid the bushes and I heard their conversation, Felipe is desperate to take you by force as it seems you have offended him and he has engaged Compton to help him, he paid Compton to get you to come to Bon Temps so he could snatch you and take you back to Nevada" she says.

"Do you have proof of this?" Eric asks and Pam nods and hold up her cell phone.

Eric growls and he balls his hands into fists, "I'm going to stake Compton myself" he spits.

A sudden thought comes into my mind and I touch Eric's arm, "No Eric, Bill was warning us, he knew it would put us on our guard by sending Bubba, and not calling us, you said yourself he could and should have called you, but he didn't" I say.

Eric considers this and grudgingly nods, and he looks at Pam who also nods.

"I think Sookie is right, when I recorded their conversation, Bill was on edge, he was anxious he kept asking Felipe for reassurance that you would not be harmed, and Felipe wouldn't commit, he ranted that you had gravely insulted him and you needed to be punished and that you were going to Nevada with him if you liked it or not, he asked Bill if he had called you and he said that he didn't have your cell phone number, Felipe told him to call Eric and he said that he didn't have that number either which was a blatant lie, he assured Felipe that he had sent a messenger but that it would take time, so he was clearly playing for time and hoping you would be suspicious, which you were," Pam says, she fumbles in her pocket and pulls out her phone and accesses the recording and Felipe and Bills voices fill the office.

I hear Felipe is jumpy and irrational he keeps ranting about how he will make me pay for what I said to him and how I would never see the light of day again once he had me in Nevada, I hear Bill asking him if he is going to hurt me and asking him for reassurances of my safety. I hear Bill lying through his teeth and making excuses about how long it appears to be taking for me to get in touch with him, and I realise Bill has put himself at risk once again for me.

"We need to face them and end this" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "absolutely not, I'll handle this" he says. He picks up the office phone and calls Bill; he puts the call on speaker so we can all hear what is said.

"Bill, your messenger has arrived and informed us about Sookie's house, tell me what has happened?" Eric says.

"Good Evening Eric, I don't know, I was taking my walk in the woods and I heard voices near Sookie's house and I went to investigate, there were men and they appeared to be breaking in I watched and then confronted them and they ran off, I need Sookie to come and see if anything has been stolen" Bill says.

Eric grins, "that won't be necessary Bill, all Sookie's belongings are now here in Shreveport, there is nothing of value in the house, thank you for your concern and for being a good neighbour to my wife, secure her home and inform your human descendant of the crime and I'll head over tomorrow night myself to investigate" Eric says.

"So Sookie isn't coming?" Bill asks and the relief in his voice is obvious.

"No, she isn't feeling well this evening, she has a headache" Eric says.

I hear Felipe curse in the background and so does Eric. "Is someone there with you Bill?" he asks.

There is a pause, "No Eric of course not" he says totally unconvincingly.

"Look I have to go Bill, thank you for informing me" Eric says.

"No problem Eric, give Sookie my regards and tell her that I hope she gets well soon and not to worry I will take care of everything" Bill says.

Eric hangs up and turns to me, "well that was pretty conclusive and I do believe you are correct that Bill was warning us he sounded ...relieved when I told him you wouldn't be coming" he says.

I nod, "the thing is it appears I have gone too far with Felipe if he is prepared to take that sort of risk" I say.

Eric nods, "he is not thinking rationally, but that gives us the advantage, we have the recording Pam made which is proof in itself that Felipe is reneging on his oath to you, and intends to harm you so we can use this to our advantage" Eric says.

I stare at him blankly I have no idea what this means but I am guessing that some vampire rule has been breached and Felipe is in trouble if he gets found out, which Eric is determined that he will be.

"Do you think Jason is safe?" I ask suddenly, "if Felipe is getting desperate he might try and lure me out by threatening my human family" I add.

Eric thinks about that, "There is a possibility that Jason could be at risk depending on how desperate Felipe gets, call him and warn him and tell him not to invite in any vampires who call" Eric says.

I nod and quickly call Jason and relay the warning, he asks me if I am ok and promises me that no deader is getting in his house, I warn him that they could try and glamour him and not to look them in the eye and I warn him that they will try and tell him they are friends of Eric's and I tell him that even if Bill calls not to let him in.

"I'm not stupid Sookie, don't worry, I won't let anyone in, not even Vampire Bill, I won't look them in the eye - I won't even answer the door if they call, I'll be fine" he says.

"Ok, but just stay safe Jason" I say.

"I'm fine, goodnight sis" he says.

"Goodnight Jason" I reply.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

_Three Nights Later..._

I am getting ready to go to the meeting between myself, Eric, Felipe and Freyda. For the last three days we have been playing a game of cat and mouse with Felipe who is determined to try and take me back to Nevada with him.

I am surprised Eric has handled things as well as he has, considering his jealous and over protective tendencies but he said he is giving Felipe enough rope to hang himself with. I'm not sure what has got into him he seems to have totally lost his mind. Desperation doesn't even begin to explain what Felipe has been doing. The night after the supposed break in at Bon Temps I got a call from Jason telling me that a vamp in a cape was hanging around outside his house and had knocked twice requesting to talk to him. I got in a complete panic and told him under no circumstances was he to open the door. I got so upset about it that Eric sent Pam to Bon Temps to pay a visit to Jason. Pam saw Felipe and Pam is certain Felipe saw her because as she went to confront him he vanished into the night but I knew he was watching and waiting for the opportunity to try and get to me.

It has really had me on edge and Eric has felt my agitation through the bond and it has had a knock on effect on him. I know it is probably my fault for the way I spoke to Felipe, as he is spoiling for a fight because a human disrespected him so badly. What makes me really mad though is the fact Felipe is too much of a coward to come directly at me, he knows if he did Eric would destroy him, as Eric is so much older and a far superior fighter, so he is trying to draw me out by intimidating my family and all that is doing is making me want to kill him.

We were told that he also showed up in Fangtasia last night and which was the closest he got to approaching us directly, neither of us were there though as we were preparing for the meeting tonight. Then to top things off nicely I got a phone call from Freyda trying to intimidate me this evening.

I think back to the call which had happened just after Eric rose...

"_Sookie your phone is ringing!" Eric calls and he brings it to me._

"_Thanks" I say and take it from him, I don't recognise the number but I answer it quickly, "Hello" I say._

"_Am I speaking to Miss Sookie Stackhouse?" the voice asks._

_This immediately puts me on alert, "No" I reply, "You are talking to Mrs Sookie Northman, who am I speaking to?" I ask._

_There is a significant pause and then the person laughs, "Not for much longer, as I am to be the new Mrs Northman" the voice says coldly._

"_Freyda, Vampire Queen of Oklahoma I presume" I say, I look at Eric who is now listening intently at the mention of Freyda._

"_That is correct, you won't keep him you know, I will prevail" she says smugly._

"_Over my dead body!" I shout, the tears are starting to fall and I'm sure Eric can feel the myriad of emotions coursing through me as he walks towards me and wraps his arms around me._

"_That can be arranged Miss Stackhouse!" Freyda says viciously._

_I force myself to laugh, "and you think that will endear you to Eric? If you kill me, he will kill you" I say._

_There is another silence "He will be mine" she says eventually and then hangs up._

_I drop my phone and turn towards Eric and sob._

_Eric asks me to relay everything that was said and through the sobs I recall the conversation, Eric listens and smiles, he leans forward and brushes away my tears with his thumb. _

"_She is afraid Sookie, she is scared of you – she knows she will never have me, she knows I am yours, now where is my strong brave wife where is my Shield Maiden?" he asks._

_I look up at him, "Your...what?" I ask in confusion._

"_Shield Maiden" Eric replies, "When I was human, there were women folk in the village who would fight alongside the men and they were warriors brave and strong, they were called Shield Maidens, you remind me of such women" he says and brushes my hair off my face._

_I know he is trying to make me feel better but it works, "I'm right here" I say my voice getting stronger._

_Eric kisses me, "Good, now we go and get this over with, go and get ready" he says._

"_I just want all this to be over with" I say._

"_After tonight it will be" Eric assures me._

"_I hope so" I reply..._

"Sookie are you ready?" Eric's call pulls me from my memories.

"I'm coming!" I call.

As I finish psyching myself up to face Felipe and Freyda I walk into the lounge area and see Eric is sprawled across the sofa dressed in his usual jeans and T shirt and I stare at him in surprise.

"Nice to see you made a big effort for the meeting tonight" I say sarcastically.

Eric laughs, "I have no reason to make any effort, if I were getting dressed to see you and to take you somewhere then I would choose something different to wear, but I have no interest in impressing the people we are seeing tonight."

I smile at his logic, he is making a statement, "Well in that case", I say and head back to the bedroom upstairs which is now used just as a closet for my things and I take off the dress I had chosen to wear and pull on a well worn pair of jeans and a t shirt instead, I brush my hair and pull it into a simple ponytail. I then run downstairs and into the bedroom I share with Eric and I fetch my purse, as I am leaving I pause at the weapons drawer and then unlocking it I pull out a wooden stake and shove it in my back pocket, after all I can't be too careful. When I am back Eric grins at me.

"You look beautiful" he says, "Shall we go?" he adds. He notices the bulge in my back pocket and turns me towards him.

"What do you have here?" he asks and pulls out the stake and his eyebrow rise in amusement.

I take it from his hands and push it back in my pocket. "Thalia taught me to always be on my guard and be prepared and armed for a fight and if I am a Shield Maiden then I need to live up to that title" I say with a grin.

Eric laughs, "Actually I believe it was I who said that" he says with look of mock offence, I laugh and kiss him briskly on his lips then shake my head.

"No, you taught me to anticipate the moves of my enemy, there is a difference!" I say.

"And you have listened and learnt well from both of us my wife, my lover and my Shield Maiden" he says with more than a hint of pride in his voice.

"Why do I feel like we are going to war?" I ask as we leave the house.

"Because we are" Eric replies, and I can't help but notice that all the playfulness is now gone.

We climb into the Corvette and head to Mr Cataliades' office, where he is waiting to greet us. Eric has the recording from Pam's phone in his pocket and is itching to confront the monarch, I can feel through the bond that he is spoiling for a fight and it's making me edgy.

"Eric, Sookie always a pleasure" Mr Cataliades says beaming at us. "Shall we, our...guests are waiting," he says waving his hand towards the office.

Eric pauses before we enter the room, he pulls me close and after kissing me passionately once more he nods and gripping my hand tightly he strides confidently into the room. I see Felipe who manages to hide the scowl that appeared when he saw me and force his face into a smile. Then I see Freyda, I see as she looks me up and down, we couldn't be more different, I am dressed casually in a pair of old jeans and am wearing no make up to speak of, she is wearing a gold sequined gown and the smell of perfume coming from her is quite over powering, and I wonder how she tolerates it with her highly sensitive vampire sense of smell, her overly made up eyes widen dramatically as she takes me in and I feel my crazy Sookie smile sliding in to place.

"Hi y'all!" I say brightly and Eric leads me to a seat and pulls out the chair for me. He sits down beside me and takes my hand once more in his.

Neither of the vampires speaks to me although Felipe did nod curtly and Eric frowns, "my wife greeted you both, please do her the courtesy of responding" he says coldly.

"Miss Stackhouse" Felipe says.

I turn towards him, Eric's antsy emotions are flowing through the bond and I can't help but take a shot at Felipe. "Felipe! How many times are you going to do this, you are as bad as Victor and the joke is getting just a little bit thin now, my name is Mrs Northman" I say and smile sweetly at him.

"I was not joking" he replies coldly.

I cock my head to one side, "Oh, so you are getting a bit forgetful in your old age" I say caustically.

I hear Mr Cataliades suppress a snort and he covers his face with his hand. Felipe is glaring at me and his fangs are descending and he bares them at me growling, trying to intimidate me. Freyda watches the exchange in surprise and so I pointedly ignore Felipe's tantrum and turn my attention to her.

"Well hello your majesty" I say in a sickly sweet tone.

She nods at me "Sookie" she says.

I shake my head, "I do not know you and you do not know me so therefore we are not on first name terms, I addressed you as your majesty please address me by my correct title I am Mrs Northman" I say.

I watch as she struggles to contain her rage and she just glares at me.

"My wife spoke to you" Eric spits at her.

"My apologies...Mrs Northman" Freyda says almost choking on the words.

I smile my crazy Sookie super bright and a little scary smile at her, "So you're the one who wants my husband?" I say and I make a point of looking her up and down and then I turn to Eric, "She's not really your type is she honey?" I say.

I feel a rush of amusement through the bond as Eric glances at Freyda derisively, "You are quite correct my wife and my lover, she is not" he says.

The amusement I am getting from him at my antics abruptly changes to a wave of protectiveness as Freyda leaps to her feet her fangs down and after squeezing Eric's hand I look pointedly at Felipe.

Felipe knows what my look is indicating and his lip curls and he turns towards Freyda.

"Sit down Oklahoma, if you harm Miss...Mrs Northman I will be forced to order an attack on you" he says almost apologetically.

"WHAT?!" She screeches.

I turn towards her, "yeah didn't you know? Felipe swore to protect me, if my life is threatened he has to protect me, because I saved his life" I say.

"And I will not hesitate to end you if you harm my wife" Eric says coldly, his fangs have now also descended and he is on full alert.

This seems to calm her considerably and she sits down, but she is still glaring at me. "Let's get this over with" she says grandly and folds her hands on the table in front of her.

"Indeed" Mr Cataliades says and makes a show of shuffling his papers and elaborately searching for different pages and he sets them in front of him.

"So we are here to discuss the marriage contract between Freyda, Vampire Queen of Oklahoma and Eric Northman, the area sheriff of Area 5 Louisiana, this contract was created between Freyda and Eric's maker, Appius Livius Ocella. Discussions were at an advanced stage when Ocella met his final death...and there we have our first problem and greatest obstacle, upon the death of Appius Livius Ocella the contract becomes null and void, in short there is no contract," Mr Cataliades says.

"But he signed..." Freyda protests but Mr Cataliades holds up his hand and continues to speak.

He takes a deep breath and folds his hands in front of him. "We also have additional issues to deal with, namely the fact that Mr Northman is already married, to Sookie Northman (nee Stackhouse) they married in a vampire pledging which was witnessed by the regent of Louisiana a Victor Madden," he glances pointedly at Eric to confirm this.

Eric wordlessly nods and Mr Cataliades continues, "and Mr and Mrs Northman also married in a human wedding ceremony which was witnessed by Miss Pamela Ravenscroft the progeny of Mr Northman and Mr Jason Stackhouse the human brother of Mrs Northman along with other close friends of the couple, and it is this that creates the biggest issue," he pauses and Freyda makes an angry noise and glares at me.

"Mrs Northman has made it crystal clear that she is not willing to divorce her husband and while in theory she could be encouraged to participate in vampire divorce proceedings, human divorces are far more involved and it is highly unlikely that Mrs Northman will cooperate, Mr Northman, as vampire is unable to file for divorce in a human court and as Mrs Northman is unwilling to do so, we have a major issue, as human law supersedes vampire law and therefore Mr Northman is legally married and unable to enter into another marriage or pledging".

Freyda leaps to her feet again and glares at Felipe, "You told me you could fix this, you told me that you would support me and make him leave and that you would abduct her and lock her away in Nevada, and I'd be free to marry him, you gave me your word that I could have him, you never mentioned any human wedding" she shrieks.

Mr Cataliades glares at Felipe, "Are you suggesting that you two had an agreement to abduct, detain and harm Mrs Northman?" he asks.

"NO" Felipe shouts.

"YES" Freyda shouts at the same time.

"She lies" Felipe says nervously, I'm not sure why, but his demeanour has suddenly gone from contained and calm to anxious and... Scared he is actually scared.

"I have further evidence of Felipe's plan to abduct my wife and hold her against her will and I believe do her physical harm" Eric says as he places the recording that Pam made on the table and plays it and Felipe goes even whiter if that is possible.

"As you can hear, he was most insistent that he would and I quote 'drag her to Nevada and keep her locked up there for the rest of her life' Compton asks for reassurance several times as to the well being and safety of my wife and Felipe failed to answer him" Eric says.

"How?" Felipe stammers.

Eric turns his head to face Felipe "I have people watching Sookie's house in Bon Temps and when we got word of the break in I naturally asked my people on the ground to investigate, this is the evidence they provided me with" he says calmly.

"But..." Felipe protests, but now he looks positively frantic. Eric stares at him coldly.

"You tried to coerce Compton to do your bidding, you tried you use him to persuade my wife to go to Bon Temps, so you could snatch her, but you had one vital flaw in your plan. You recruited Bill Compton, although Bill would be more than happy to see Sookie separated from me, he wouldn't want her to be abducted to Nevada, because he too loves her. He was recruited by the late Queen to befriend Sookie so she could harness her talents, however, he did his job too well and he fell in love with her and now he spends his time trying to atone for his betrayal in the hopes that my wife will forgive him someday" he explains.

"What the hell does she have, she's a worthless human?" Freyda splutters, waving her hand at me.

Mr Cataliades bristles and leans forward, "Mrs Northman is no ordinary human, she is the great granddaughter of Niall Brigant crown prince of the Sky Fae" he says.

Freyda's mouth drops open and realisation and understanding appears on Felipe's face, although he is still scared he turns towards Freyda.

"I'm sorry Freyda, but I feel I cannot endorse your request, it is clear that the contract is now void following the death of Ocella, and I couldn't possibly lose my Sheriff to another state" he says.

Freyda looks murderously at Felipe and then she shrieks and leaps over the table towards him.

"We had a deal you traitorous liar, you told me I could have Eric and you would take the girl back to Nevada."

Guards appear from nowhere and pull the two vampires apart and both Eric and I realise they are also vampires. Eric immediately is on alert and adopts a protective stance over me.

Mr Cataliades stands and tries to calm things down. "Mr Northman your wife is in no danger, let me introduce you to Ira and Gus these two fine vampires have been acquaintances of mine for many years", he says. "I had them come here tonight to witness proceedings and provide a little extra security" he says.

Eric relaxes slightly. And watches as the two vampires hold the furious monarchs in a tight hold.

Mr Cataliades turns to Freyda, "It is my professional opinion that legally there is no grounds for this pledging, the contract is null and void and I think it would be in your best interests to forget this marriage contract and return to Oklahoma" he says.

Freyda's face contorts with rage, "NO" she screams and turns to me "I'M GOING TO RIP YOUR THROAT OUT" she yells at me and wrenches herself free from the guards and I can see that was no idle threat, the hatred in her eyes is consuming her and she looks at Eric and then launches herself at me.

Things happen almost in slow motion, I jump to my feet and I am extremely grateful that I had taken some of Eric's blood before we left tonight and I pull the stake from the back pocket of my jeans and Eric roars and tries to grab Freyda as she leaps at me, I push him out of the way and he sees the stake in my hand and steps back to avoid it but he fills our bond with his raw aggression and as Freyda lands on me that aggression and my training with Thalia and Eric rushes through my mind and in quick succession, I block her attacks and then thrust the stake upwards into her chest with such force my hand nearly follows it, I see the shock on her face as she feels the stake penetrate her heart and I shove her aside as she disintegrates.

Felipe stares at me in shock and I get an overwhelming wave of relief, love and pride from Eric.

"Oops" I say as I take in the remains of the vampire queen.

Eric pulls me into his arms, and quickly checks me over, "Are you alright my wife?" he asks.

I glance at the disintegrating vampire, "I'm fine and I'm definitely a lot better than her" I say with a grin.

"You were within your rights, you were protecting yourself. She was attacking you" Eric says and Mr Cataliades nods.

Mr Cataliades turns his gaze to Felipe who is staring at me in disbelief but before he can speak to him, I retrieve the stake from Freyda's remains and walk over the Nevada monarch who is still in the grip of one of the vampire guards and I wave the stake at him. He watches it nervously.

"If you harass my brother any further, you will end up like her, am I making myself understood?" I say.

"Harassment?" Mr Cataliades says.

I nod, "Yeah the night after he tried to lure me to Bon Temps he was hanging around outside my brothers house, Jason called me and said there was a strange vampire hanging around outside he also said that the vampire had requested several times that Jason let him in, I asked my brother to describe the vampire and he described Felipe, right down to the cape the vampire was wearing – I told him not to speak to him or let him in and I was so worried that Eric sent Pam to his assistance and she confirmed she too saw Felipe but he disappeared before she could speak to him" I say.

Felipe looks afraid and Mr Cataliades looks grim, "Harassment of a human is a very serious offence, along with the evidence of intent to abduct and imprison a human, coveting a claimed human and the clear evidence we have that you failed to honour your own oath of protection, you will need to be tried for these offences. They are very serious and this may need the intervention of the Ancient Pythoness" Felipe looks panic stricken now.

"There has been a misunderstanding I didn't mean to harm her, I just wanted her...I mean I wanted to employ her" he says.

"Lies" Eric hisses.

Mr Cataliades makes a number of phone calls and a short while later a squad of vampire police officers arrive, Felipe looks petrified.

"Good Evening gentlemen, we have overwhelming evidence that this vampire has been harassing this human and her family, we also have evidence to show that he had the intention to abduct her and hold her prisoner at his home in Nevada and he had clear intention to harm her despite the fact he had sworn an oath to protect her as she had previously saved his life" Mr Cataliades says.

The vampires glare at Felipe and place him in handcuffs, I look at them sceptically, and I don't believe that they will hold a vampire.

"They have a silver core although they do not burn they feel ...uncomfortable" Eric explains.

"I see" I say.

The vampires escort Felipe away and he glares at me as he leaves. As soon as he has gone I sag into Eric's arms. I turn and look at Mr Cataliades who is watching me anxiously.

"Thank you" I say to him.

"I told you I would keep watch over you" he says kindly.

"Thank you" Eric says politely.

"Those vampire police officers are also part of the retinue of the Pythoness, Felipe will be incarcerated in the vampire proof jail until the next summit and then he will be handed over and tried by either the Amun monarchs or possibly even the Ancient Pythoness, at the summit " Mr Cataliades says.

"What will happen to Felipe and Freyda's states?" I ask.

Mr Cataliades smiles, "Technically speaking you ended Freyda so you are Queen of Oklahoma" he says.

I look shocked, "But" I stammer.

Eric pulls me close, "Don't worry I'll sort it all out" he says.

"As for Nevada, Felipe has a deputy who will assume command there while he is incarcerated, Victor will continue to act as regent for Louisiana but it does leave Nevada in a vulnerable position" Mr Cataliades says thoughtfully.

"That is none of our concern at present, if the deputy is worthy he or she will survive, our immediate concern is Oklahoma but I will deal with that myself" Eric says.

I nod, I have complete faith in Eric that he will fix everything and I snuggle into his side.

"Come on lets go home" Eric says gently.

**oooOOOooo**

It shocks me how quickly vampires get things done, by the time dawn came Oklahoma was under the rule of Texas after Eric called Stan and informed him of the vacancy and explained what had happened.

Stan had questioned why Eric didn't go for the position of King and he had laughed and said it was never his ambition to become a monarch. Stan had thanked him and I realised Eric was playing a strategic game. He was making sure of his allies. I wonder how this will affect our plans to kill Victor, now that Felipe is in prison. It had never been my intention to kill Freyda but I have to admit it did feel good, I wonder at my heartlessness and lack of concern but only briefly, she wanted my husband and she was going to kill me it was her or me and I definitely wasn't going to be the one to die.

I spend the majority of my day at Fangtasia doing the administration tasks and I feel quite pleased with myself by the time I have finished, I file the final forms and sigh in satisfaction. I rub my face when there is a knock at the door.

"Come in" I call.

I am surprised to see Thalia, I look at my watch and I realise just how late it is.

"Oh hello" I say warily.

"Your husband is searching for you" she says. As she says this I feel Eric's agitation through the bond.

I gasp, "Eric must be worried because I wasn't at home to greet him when he rose", I explain and I quickly rummage for my phone and call him, "Hi I'm so sorry, I'm at Fangtasia" I say before he can get a word in.

"You are safe?" he asks.

"Of course I am...why what's happened?" I ask.

"Nothing, but when I searched for you when I rose I got strange emotions through the bond" he says.

"Oh...I was concentrating on the work I was doing, I didn't want to make any mistakes and I got a little frustrated at times then I was satisfied and pleased when I had finished" I explain.

"I see, well that explains everything" he says.

"I'll come home now" I say.

"No, stay where you are, I will join you I have arranged a meeting to discuss events of last night and our options now" he says.

"Ok...have you eaten?" I ask.

"I have had some bottled blood" he says.

I know he likes to feed from me when he rises and I feel bad about not being there. "I'm sorry I'll give you some blood when you get here" I say.

"I look forward to it" Eric replies with more than a hint of lust in his voice.

I smile and I know exactly what he is currently thinking as the emotions are flooding through the bond make me blush. I hang up and turn to face Thalia who is still standing staring at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You killed Freyda" she states.

I nod, "I did" I say hesitantly.

"Eric said you fought well" she says.

I shrug, "I think the raw aggression that he was sending me helped me, she leapt on me and all the training just kicked in, I blocked her as she tried to bite me and I got the job done" I say.

"You are too modest Sookie, Eric said you were exceptional" Thalia says.

I shrug again.

"We shall see what you are made of, when it comes to ending Victor" Thalia says.

I nod, it is clear Eric has spoken at length to Thalia and plans are already in place to remove Victor so I wait for my husband to arrive to bring me up to speed.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"Sookie" I turn and see Eric filling the doorway to the office, I run to him and he catches me in his arms.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there when you rose, I just lost track of time" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "Don't worry, did you get a lot of work done as you were gone so long?" he asks.

I nod enthusiastically, and show him proudly what I have done.

"You completed everything" he says with some surprise.

"Wasn't I supposed to?" I ask nervously.

"I am just surprised that you did so much so quickly" he says.

I shrug, "I've been here all day, but I just got into it and kept going until I got the job done." I say.

Eric pulls me close "You are amazing" he says and nuzzles my neck.

I pull my hair out of the way and tilt my head to give him better access and moments later I feel his fangs sinking into my neck and he moans as he drinks from me. He takes his fill and pulls away, then he bites his wrist and offers it to me and I lap up the thick sweet blood oozing from his veins. He pulls me close and I can feel his erection and I giggle.

"Hungry for something else?" I ask and rub my hand down his jeans suggestively.

Eric hisses and pulls away from me and at vampire speed he locks the door and before I can blink he is back and is naked, I am naked and lying across his desk with him on top of me.

"So... that would be a yes then" I say as I feel him thrust into me.

**oooOOOooo**

As we lie there on the floor of his office naked, sated and happy from our lovemaking I pat Eric's hand.

"Come on we need to get up" I say.

"We do, everyone will be arriving soon for the meeting" he says.

"What meeting?" I ask.

"I have called everyone together to discuss your plan to rid us of Victor, and I want to make everyone aware of what happened last night" he says.

"Ok" I say as I stand up and pull my clothes on.

Eric pulls on his t shirt and zips up his jeans and once more pulls me towards him and crushes me against his chest. "I was worried when I rose and you weren't there" he says carefully.

I look up at him, "I'm sorry" I say, and I realise that something must have happened to warrant that kind of reaction. He has just willingly admitted to weakness something which Eric just doesn't do.

"Eric, what's happened?" I ask.

"Victor is aware of what happened last night, he was contacted by Felipe's deputy and informed of the change of hierarchy, it appears that Victor feels the need to avenge his monarch for his incarceration, which means we are still looking over our shoulder until we end him" Eric says.

I nod, "Ok, and how do you know all this?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "I have my ways" he says evasively, and I decide it's better for me not to know.

As I take in what Eric has just told me, there is a knock at the door, Eric saunters over and unlocks it, Pam is standing there, she looks inside and a smile appears on her lips. She knows exactly what we have been doing.

"Everyone is here" she says and Eric nods.

"Give us a couple of minutes" he says and Pam nods and disappears.

"Does she know what we were doing?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "Of course she does" he says dismissively.

About ten minutes later and Eric's office is crowded with vampires, I glance around the room, Indira, Pam, Thalia, Maxwell, Bill and Bubba are here, there aren't many of us and I wonder if this idea of mine was so good after all.

Eric stands up and walks around his desk and leans against it his arms folded across his chest, the hum of muttering stops and everyone looks at him expectantly.

"Thank you for coming tonight, as you are all probably aware by now, Felipe is in custody after it was established without doubt last night of his wrong doing towards my wife", there is a murmur and the vampires look at me.

"Felipe ordered an Oath of Protection for my wife which is incredibly unusual but my wife saved his life when he was attacked and Felipe repaid her with this gesture and as you all know in line with vampire law an Oath of Protection is a binding contract and anyone who purposely intends harm to the subject of that Oath is subject to harsh and possibly terminal treatment" he pauses and the vampires all nod in agreement.

"Well, we have overwhelming evidence that Felipe intended to abduct my wife and imprison her in Nevada and possibly harm her, we have the word of Freyda which was witnessed by Mr Cataliades and myself and we have the testimony of Bill Compton who Felipe tried to coerce into helping him achieve his goal along with a recording where Felipe openly states his hatred for my wife".

I glance at Bill and he nods at me, I didn't know he had agreed to testify, but it doesn't surprise me, I return my attention to Eric who is still speaking.

"Felipe's deputy Sandy Sechrest has temporarily taken over in Felipe's absence, you all know her from when she came to the area at the time of the takeover, she has spoken to me this evening and I have made her aware of all Felipe's transgressions. She was already aware as Mr Cataliades kindly filled her in on the events of last night after we left. She appears to be a good and fair leader and didn't take Felipe's version of events as fact, as she also has spoken to him to establish what happened and she is pragmatic about the reasons why Felipe has been detained. However, it seems that Victor isn't so understanding, he appears to want vengeance and there is always the concern that Sandy could be involved in some way with that plot for vengeance" Eric pauses; I think about what he has said and speak before I can stop myself.

"More like he is after Felipe's job and he thinks if he shows how strong he is here by offing us he can intimidate Sandy and grab the top job, after all, it still rankles that he wasn't made King of Louisiana" I say.

All the vampires stare at me and I blush, "sorry" I say quietly.

Eric beams at me, "No, you see this is why you are so amazing you think of possibilities which even we hadn't considered, I had just assumed it was Victor taking advantage of his monarch being incapacitated to try and get you for himself" Eric says.

I think a moment, "Or it could be a combination of both, he wants the top job and he wants to own me as his telepath to make him appear a strong leader" I say, there are murmurs and head nodding and once again Eric looks pleased.

"Whatever his motive is we need to stop him, so we are here tonight to formulate a plan to do just that" he says.

"What of the wedding contract with Oklahoma?" Bill asks mildly.

"Not happening" I say sharply.

"Freyda of Oklahoma has met her final death, Oklahoma is now under Texas rule" Eric says.

"Did you end her?" Bill asks Eric in surprise, and there are more murmurs around the room, they can't believe Eric killed a vampire queen for a human and they are questioning his judgement, so I step in to put them straight.

"No I did" I say and there is a collective gasp of surprise, "What? She pissed me off, not to mention tried to kill me" I protest.

"You killed Freyda?" Bill asks incredulously.

"Yes, don't look so damn surprised don't forget that I managed to kill Lorena!" I snap, there is another gasp and I decide it's possibly a good time to shut my mouth.

Eric turns to Bill, "Freyda was informed that there was no possible way the pledging could happen, because the contract she and Ocella drew up is now void as Ocella met his final death and because Sookie and I are married, not only by vampire pledging but also by human marriage. Sookie made it clear she wasn't prepared to divorce me and Freyda took exception to that, she was also angry with Felipe when she realised he wasn't in a position to give her what he had promised and she got rather upset about it" Eric says.

"Upset is kind of an understatement, she said she would rip my throat out and then she jumped on me and tried to do just that" I say.

"Did you not protect your wife?" Bill asks Eric angrily, and there are more murmurs at this, I can't help but think of the hypocrisy of that question, if Eric had killed Freyda they would have condemned him for putting a human life before a vampire. In that moment I realise just how much Eric must love me to put himself in such a no win position and that seed of an idea in my mind grows even bigger.

Eric glares at Bill and I shake my head, "I didn't need him to, he and Thalia have been training me and I took a stake with me ...just in case, and so I did what needed to be done" I say.

"And you were marvellous" Eric says fondly.

"It was still Eric's place to protect you" Bill grumbles, "I would have died for you" he declares grandly. I can't help but notice the derisive looks he is getting from the others at this remark, and it also makes me angry at the way he is insinuating that he loves me more than Eric.

I stare at Bill and the way he looks steadily back at me makes something snap, I march up to him and poke him in the chest.

"Listen here buster stop with the comments, I'm not some weak little human who needs a big bad vampire to protect me, yes maybe I used to be that way but no more, being tortured did something to me, made me re-evaluate things and it changed me, not only that since I have been married I have been getting intensive combat training from Thalia, and Eric has taught me everything he knows as well" I stop and Bill blinks at me in shock.

I'm on a roll now though and carry on with my rant the other vampires in the room are silently staring at me and listening carefully "and besides the way I reacted if Eric had tried to interfere when Freyda attacked me I could easily have accidentally staked him and for your information he did protect me, he was there giving me what I needed through our bond, and one other small but important fact, I love Eric and I want to be with him, so I didn't and wouldn't want him to die for me, not that he would, as he is far stronger than Freyda was" I stop speaking to let Bill register the subtle insult towards him in my words.

Before he can respond I continue. "I know you have this martyr like attitude when it comes to me, because of the betrayal, because our entire relationship was built on a complete lie, but get over it, I am with Eric now, I love Eric, Eric is my husband, I have got over your betrayal and somehow we are now friends but that's all we are Bill, if you can't handle that then you need to leave because I am sick of having to remind you, and I am sick of you declaring your undying love for me, not only because I don't want it but because it is insulting to my husband."

I pause and take a deep breath, then when I continue I speak in a softer kinder way "I am thankful you came for me when Lochlan and Neave took me and I am grateful that you raised the alarm so Niall could find me and I'm really sorry that you got bitten and got silver poisoning but I fully repaid that debt when I tracked down Judith for you and got her to come to you to help you" I say.

"I came for you unlike your husband when you were captured by Lochlan and Neave" Bill says viciously. I know he is hurt by my words, but that comment has just pissed me off even more. I also feel Eric's anger rising at that insult.

"That was uncalled for Bill Compton" I say and I poke him in the chest again "My husband was held in silver chains by Victor and he refused to let him go, Eric felt my fear and my pain, he felt everything that was happening to me and was physically unable to help me, eventually when Felipe was called, only then did Victor let him go, and when he got to me, he gave me his blood to help me heal even though he needed it himself to heal from the silver burns, so don't even go there Bill Compton, its not a damn competition as who comes to my rescue the most, and besides I am more than capable of looking after myself now I have been trained by Thalia and MY HUSBAND."

Bill sits blinking at me, shocked at my outburst, and he's not the only one, the room is silent and I glance around, "sorry" I whisper and go red.

I quickly head back to Eric I tuck myself under his arm and he squeezes me gently and kisses my forehead. I feel him flood the bond with love and pride and I gently squeeze him as I return a burst of love back to him to acknowledge I have received it.

"You heard my wife, so make your choice Compton, will you stay or go?" Eric says coldly glaring at Bill.

"I will continue to serve and do what ever you ask of me and I apologise for any insult towards you" Bill says smoothly.

"Good" Eric says and looks round the room, "Right now that has been laid to rest we will return to the matter in hand, Victor Madden and his final death" Eric says.

Eric looks down at me, "Tell them your plan" he says.

I look at him and nod "Ok my plan is this…" I say, I pace around the room and outline how we propose to invite Victor to Fangtasia for a concert of his favourite singer, everyone looks at Bubba and they look sceptical at the success of the plan as Bubba is notoriously unpredictable when it comes to singing. I quickly explain how Bill has talked to Bubba and how he is going to give him the night of his life before the performance and how it will be guaranteed to distract Victor enough for us to ambush him and kill him.

"But he will bring an entourage" Maxwell says.

"How many is he likely to bring?" I ask looking up at Eric again.

Eric shrugs, "It depends on whether or not he has replaced Bruno and Corinna yet" Eric says, I am sure he will bring Ana and possibly Luis and Antonio so four possibly five or six" he says.

"How strong are those vamps?" I ask.

"Ana Lyudmila is the strongest, as she is the oldest of the vampires around Victor but she is much younger than Pam, Luis and Antonio are young vampires no older than 50 years old and they now also have their doubts about Victor after your outburst at Victors club and Victor himself is not a fighter" Eric says.

"So you are saying we can handle them all?" I ask, looking for confirmation.

Eric nods, "I would say so, I don't wish to be complacent as you can never predict a battle and people can get in lucky strikes but we have age and strength on our side" he says.

"And numbers" I say "We have you, Thalia, Indira, Maxwell, Pam and that other vampire the one who moved here who did the tracking over at my place in Bon Temps" I say and look up at Eric.

"Heidi" Eric says.

I nod so that's even - six vampires to their six at worst case scenario but if there is less then we have the advantage and then there's me" I say.

Eric gives me a look of pride and kisses me again.

"There is also Jock the new barman" Maxwell offers.

"Oh I forgot about him!" I say.

I had seen him and Eric had introduced us but he had kept his distance which wasn't surprising, I had a bad history with barmen at Fangtasia, since I had been coming to the club they had all died.

"So that's seven to their six and me" I say.

"What about Bill?" Maxwell asks.

"He will be in charge of Bubba, he will be taking care of Bubba all evening and then it will be his job to get Bubba out of there before the fighting gets too bad" I say.

Maxwell nods but doesn't say anything.

"Does anyone have any questions?" Eric asks.

Everyone shakes their heads, but then Indira raises her hand.

"This appears to focus on whether or not Bubba feels inclined to sing" she says carefully, everyone turns to look at Bubba, but Bill speaks up.

"I have discussed at length with Bubba what we are asking of him, I have laid out the plans for the evening and Bubba seems happy with them, don't you?" Bill says smiling at Bubba.

He nods "Yes Mr Bill, I am real happy about it, Mr Bill has promised me a real good night with as many cats as I want" he says.

Everyone shuffles uncomfortably at this, but manages not to react any further than that.

"So that is settled then" Eric says.

Everyone nods.

"Good then all we have to do is decide when we do this" Eric says.

"As soon as possible, Victor is dangerous and now that he has the added incentive of Felipe's job I wouldn't put anything past him" I say.

"Well we need time to prepare and get everything in place so it looks like an evening of entertainment rather than an ambush" Pam says and everyone nods.

"Yes it has to be perfect" Eric agrees.

"Well I can make a start on that tomorrow during the day, give me a list of what you want ordering and who your suppliers are and I will get the orders put in – the sooner the better" I say.

Eric claps his hands, "Excellent, shall we say Monday then that gives us time to prepare and fine tune the plan" he says looking around.

Everyone nods and then as one they all stand and leave the office. I turn towards Eric.

"This is going to work isn't it?" I ask.

Eric wraps me in his arms, "Of course it is" he assures me.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I spend the day running errands, getting together supplies I think we will need and putting in orders for the supplies for ...the night and I also plough through the new pile of paperwork which has appeared in the in tray but I take care not to lose track of time, I keep glancing at the clock as I don't want Eric waking without me again.

I am shocked at the amount of paperwork that is involved with the Sheriff role. I can understand now why I didn't seem to see that much of Eric at times, if he was the one who did this. When I have finished I decide to head over to Bon Temps, I want to check on things at my house and see if there is any post or anything.

I realise its way past lunch time when my stomach growls and I decide to stop for something to eat, I pause outside Merlotte's and then brazenly pull into the car park and get out of my car and walk in, the place is almost empty and I quickly grab a table. I watch Sam's reaction and he freezes when he sees me but Holly comes over and bless her heart she hugs me.

"Sookie how lovely to see you!" she says.

"Hello Holly how are you?" I say.

"I'm good, really good" she says and she looks well, I glance around the bar is very quiet and I look at Holly.

"Things haven't picked up any?" I ask.

Holly shakes her head, "No Sam had to let Kennedy go, in fact I'm pretty sure he is struggling real bad" she whispers.

I shake my head; it upsets me that Sam is having such a rough time.

I order a cheeseburger and fries and large coke as I wait for my order to be brought, I am surprised when Sam himself brings my drink over and sits down beside me.

"Hello Sookie how are you?" He asks.

I smile sincerely, "I'm really happy Sam, marrying Eric was the best thing I ever did" I say.

Sam nods but he has an odd sad look on his face, "I'm pleased for you cher" he says, he pauses, "and I'm sorry for the things I said to you, I shouldn't have said them" he says awkwardly.

I fling my arms around him surprising him, "I can't stay mad at you Sam you are my friend" I say.

Sam pushes me away, "thanks, but if you go home smelling of shifter Eric won't be happy" he says.

I laugh but Sam looks serious. "I mean it Sookie, it was different when you didn't live with Eric but now you do, if you go home with the scent of another man on you...well it won't be good, for either of you and if the other vampires smell me on you it will make Eric look weak and they will assume that you have betrayed him" he says.

I realise how serious this could be and take a gulp of my coke.

"Have you heard from Alcide since you acted as shaman for the pack?" Sam asks.

"How did you know about that?" I ask.

He shrugs, "Jason told me" he says.

I shake my head "He shouldn't have, but no I haven't why do you ask?" I say.

"Because Alcide has been trying to get a hold of you, he hasn't seen you since that night and I think he got the impression from you that you weren't happy with what he asked you to do, he has been trying to get hold of you to talk to you but he said every time he called you, you didn't pick up, he thinks you are avoiding him" he says.

"Well I'm not at home any more am I, and I'm not about to give him Eric's home phone number" I say defensively.

Sam nods, "I told him that you had got married and had moved to Shreveport, he asked where you live and who you married and he didn't seem so happy when I told him you'd married Eric" he says.

"Well he has my cell number, but hasn't tried to contact me since I've been with Eric" I say.

Sam sighs, "Alcide also asked me if you had changed your cell phone number as he can't seem to get through to you on that either" he pauses and looks hard at me.

I wonder how this can be then it hits me - Eric! Eric must have taken my phone and blocked his number so that he couldn't contact me, he was furious when I eventually got round to telling him about how Alcide had given me drugs when he got me to act as shaman, the night Alexei went nuts and he was ready to go and have it out with Alcide but I had managed to persuade him not to after assuring him that I had no lasting effects from the drugs and promised him I would never do anything like that again.

"Eric" I say and Sam nods.

"Look Sookie, I know you love him and I accept he loves you, but remember he is not human he is a vampire and they see things differently, just be careful don't let him separate you from all your family and friends, don't let him swallow you up" he says.

I nod but instinctively I know what Eric did was out of a misguided notion of protecting me. "I'll talk to him" I say.

Holly brings my food and smiles at me widely and I thank her once again my stomach growls and Sam smiles.

"I'll leave you in peace to eat" he says and stands up.

When I have finished, I leave Holly a good tip and head back to Shreveport, I think carefully and decide to drop by and see Alcide. As I pull up outside his little office he is coming out and he stops dead and stares as I climb out of the Camaro.

"Hello Alcide, you wanted to speak to me" I say.

"Sookie this is a surprise" he says warily.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" I ask.

"I just wanted to check you were ok after...you know, well you and Jason left so quickly and I never got chance to thank you properly. Then things got kind of busy and I've had stuff to sort out and when I finally got around to calling I couldn't get through on the cell phone number I have" he says.

I shrug, "well I'm here now, and I'm fine but don't ever ask me to do anything like that ever again Alcide" I say.

He nods, "I accept it was a lot to ask of you...but thank you for doing it" he says.

"Ok" I reply.

"So you got married" Alcide says awkwardly.

I nod and hold up my hand he stares at the rings. "You married the deader" he says nastily.

I scowl at him, "The deader has a name, and that deader is my husband and I love him so chose your words carefully Alcide" I warn.

"So you married Eric Northman" Alcide says.

I nod, "I did and I'm very happy" I say.

"Do you really love him?" he asks.

I nod and without any hesitation I reply, "I just said so didn't I, I do love him with all my heart."

"Does he love you though?" he asks.

I scowl again, "Yes he does" I say confidently. I decide I've had enough of this uncomfortable conversation. "Look I need to get going" I say.

Alcide steps forward, he reaches for me but as I step back out of his reach he pulls his hand back, "Sookie, you are still a friend of the pack and if you need me at any time you know where I am" he says seriously.

I smile, "thank you Alcide" I say.

Before he can say anything else, I turn to leave, he doesn't call after me or anything he just watches me climb into my car and leave.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

When I get back home I jump into the shower and throw my clothes into the washing machine, I will tell Eric where I have been and who I have seen but he doesn't need to smell another mans scent on me. I gather up a load of Eric's clothes as well and push them in and start the washing machine going. I make myself a mug of coffee and head to our room and I let myself into the underground chamber to wait for Eric to rise.

I sit on the bed with my knees drawn up and sip my coffee looking down at my husband, he is so still and beautiful, and I run my fingers through his hair and just watch him. I like to think he is sleeping, I know that in the day time he is technically dead but as we have previously proved that Eric is able to get up in the daytime under dire circumstances I like to think of him as in a really deep sleep.

Eventually the animation returns to my husband and I watch as life enters Eric's body it is a moment which I always marvel at and then he opens his eyes, I smile down at him and then lean over him and kiss him.

"Hi" I say.

"Wife of mine," Eric growls and he grabs me, I tilt my head and he sinks his fangs in and drinks from me. This inevitably leads to other things and it is quite a while later when we eventually leave the chamber.

We are sitting tangled around each other on the sofa and Eric speaks.

"I liked waking up to your beautiful face" he says and he nuzzles my neck again.

I giggle and kiss him. "I didn't want you waking up and me not being there like the previous night, I felt your worry and it wasn't nice" I say.

"I was concerned" he says.

I nod but don't say anything, Eric looks at me carefully.

"Sookie you seem troubled, something is on your mind, I sense it, talk to me" he says.

I look up into his blue eyes and I take a deep breath and I ask him, "Did you block Alcide from contacting me via my cell?"

I feel Eric stiffen and I feel anger rising through the bond and I know immediately that the answer is yes and he doesn't like me questioning what he did.

"I did, I am your husband and it is my duty to protect you from those who wish to use you, as well as those who want to hurt you, the dog forced you to take illegal drugs by insinuating that it was your duty to perform the task he wanted you to do, I as your husband, was protecting you from him making further...requests" he says.

I smile, "and I really appreciate that honey, but you need to consult me before you randomly block people off of my phone, you wouldn't like it if I started blocking people from calling you would you?" I say.

I see him consider this and he nods grudgingly.

"How did you find out?" he asks.

I take another deep breath, "I went to Bon Temps today to check on the house and pick up my post, and I was hungry so I dropped by Merlotte's, I had a chat with Sam and he apologised to me for what he said, and I hugged him, he told me that I shouldn't do that as it wouldn't be good for me to come home smelling of another man no matter how innocent it was, he explained how if the others smelt his sent on me they would think you were weak and I was unfaithful" I say.

Eric nods, "So that is why you have showered and have done some laundry" he says.

I nod, "But I swear Eric, I had no idea it was so serious, I have always hugged Sam and it was a natural reaction but I won't do it again" I say.

Eric nods, "Good" he says. I know from that one word response he isn't happy so I look questioningly at him.

"Come on Eric spit it out" I say.

"Did you also go and see Alcide while you were out and about?" he asks suspiciously.

I can feel jealousy through the bond and I smile, "Yes I did" I say.

I hear a small growl and I wrap my arms around him and squeeze him.

"But I never hugged Alcide and I also told him never to ask me to do anything like being shaman again, and well...he pissed me off a little and I ended up having a go at him when he bad mouthed you" I say.

"Bad mouthed me?" Eric asks.

I nod, "He sort of stated the fact that I got married which I confirmed and he said you married the deader which pissed me off as I hate that derogatory term and I told him that, that deader had a name and to be careful what he said as you were my husband and that I loved you and then he questioned whether I really loved you and when I told him I did he then asked if you loved me and I told him you did and then I left" I say.

Eric listens carefully "I do love you Sookie and I don't like it that the dog questioned our love" he says.

I nod in agreement with him, "No nether did I" I say. "I think he realised he'd made me mad because when I was going he also told me I was still a friend of the pack and that if I ever needed anything I knew where he was" I say. I am not prepared for the reaction from Eric at these words.

He leaps off the sofa and his anger hits me with the force of a sledgehammer, I reach and grasp his hand, "Eric...honey what's wrong?" I ask.

I need to teach that dog a few manners!" he growls.

I stand up and wrap my arms around him, "hey calm down" I say but this seems to anger him further.

"No Sookie" he says coldly and he grabs me by the shoulders and pushes me away and stalks out slamming the door behind him. I have no idea what to say or do, I wonder what the big problem is and I worry what Eric is going to do so I call Pam.

"Sookie" she says when she picks up.

"Pam I think we have a problem" I say.

"What?" she asks.

I quickly outline the conversation I have just had with Eric and she listens without saying a word, "Well?" I say when I have finished and she still hasn't commented.

"Eric is within his rights to kill Alcide, I don't think he will do that though" she says simply and so calmly as if she had just stated that he was going to go and have a game of pool with Alcide.

"Kill him!" I exclaim "Why?" I add.

"Sookie" Pam says in the tone of voice a parent uses to explain something to a child, "Alcide insulted you by questioning whether or not you really loved Eric, Eric would feel the need to protect your honour for that insult alone, but then he also insulted him because he questioned his love as well, he was basically saying ok I'll believe that you love him but can you be sure that he really loves you – therefore he questioned Eric's commitment to you, and when you told him he did he basically told you that he did not believe it and did not trust your judgement or faith in Eric and that he would be willing to take your husbands place, therefore he was questioning your commitment to Eric, he was gravely insulting you and my maker" she says.

"My guess is that he didn't expect you to tell Eric about the conversation you had with him because he knows what the possible consequences are for such insulting behaviour, which is a further insult as that is proof he doesn't believe what you said to him" She adds thoughtfully.

I honestly didn't see it like that but I know how touchy vampires are and how something seemingly innocent can be construed as a grave insult. But what is really getting to me is the fact at the moment Eric really doesn't need this on top of everything that is going on.

"We have to stop him, he was so angry when he left here" I say in a panic, as I remember how Eric had pushed me away. I can still feel Eric's fury pounding through the bond and I am really worried.

"I will find him, stay where you are, do not leave the house as it could be a plot orchestrated by Victor" Pam says and with that the line goes dead.

I pace around the house in the end I get so wound up through worry and through the emotions I am getting from Eric I decide I need to find him. I don't believe that Alcide has anything to do with Victor so I head outside, as I am climbing into my car I hear something behind me I turn and there is Eric, I slam the car door shut and run to him.

"What did you do, please tell me you didn't kill Alcide?" I ask anxiously.

"The dog lives" he says coldly.

I let out a sigh of relief, "What did you do?" I ask again.

"I informed him that if he questioned our relationship, our integrity and loyalty to each other and if he dared to suggest that he would be a better choice for you in future then I would kill him" he says.

"Eric!" I exclaim.

"He understood. He realised what he said was unacceptable and he apologised, he didn't expect you tell me what was said, he did not realise the bond of trust between us was so strong, he assumed that we lived how many humans live, keeping secrets from each other and he now realises that is not the case and that nothing will come between us". He says and pulls me close.

"I won't see him again" I whisper, "I'll cut ties with the pack" I say.

To my surprise Eric shakes his head, "No, that would be counterproductive, your link with the Weres is useful and should be preserved, and I don't think Alcide will cross the line again now he is clear on exactly what we mean to each other."

I wonder exactly what was said between them but part of me decides that perhaps I really don't want to know.

"Let's go inside" I say and Eric nods.

When we get inside I stop and get him some blood from the fridge and warm it and as I take it to him I see him with my phone in his hand.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Restoring the dogs contact details" he says stiffly.

"Really?" I ask, "You don't have to do that, I've been thinking, he should have known what he said would have been seen as an insult, he was trying to goad you" I say.

Eric nods, "I know, but I am a man of my word and not only that the dog appears to believe that I am trying to keep you to myself, I told him he was talking nonsense and that I encouraged your independence but he was still sceptical and he said that he would call you and if you answered he would only then trust my word" Eric says.

As he says this my phone starts to ring and Eric looks down and holds out the phone to me. I take it from him and answer.

"Hello" I say.

"Sookie," Alcide says he is clearly surprised and at a loss, he was not expecting to speak to me, this makes me angry.

"What do you want Alcide? Do you have your proof now that Eric and I love each other?" I say sarcastically.

"I spoke with Eric tonight" Alcide says, "I understand now, and I want to apologise to you" he says quite formally.

"Apology accepted" I say equally formally.

I hear a sigh of relief, "your status as friend of the pack is still in place and I hope that our...misunderstanding and my unnecessary and inaccurate assumptions can be put behind us?" he asks.

I smile, this is Alcide grovelling and I am sure that is down to whatever Eric said to him.

"Ok" I say, "Just don't ever question what Eric means to me ever again" I say.

"I won't" Alcide replies. "And thank you" he says.

I remember something which has only just occurred to me, after what Sam said about me hugging him and it was something which Alcide surely should have also known. "Alcide I have one more thing I want to clear up" I say.

"Go on" he says.

I pause "are you also going to apologise for deliberately going to hug me as well as for what you said?" I see Eric listening and the anger reignites through the bond.

"I..." Alcide stammers.

"Don't try and deny it Alcide, when I tried to leave you reached for me and I stepped out of your grasp, now you should know that leaving your scent on me no matter how innocent would have been a really bad thing to do, had I gone somewhere with vampires, they would have smelt your scent on me and assumed I had been unfaithful to Eric, and that would have made Eric look weak and caused him trouble and it could have probably have cost me my life" I say.

"You already had shifter scent on you" Alcide retorts.

I smile, "Yes, I had shifter scent on me, but I hugged Sam because I didn't know any better, but and here is the difference, Sam pushed me away and warned me of the consequences of hugging another man, you as a Were must have also known them but you approached me" I say.

There is a silence, and when I speak again my tone isn't friendly, "You were trying to deliberately cause trouble Alcide you were trying to cause a rift between me and my husband, and I will never forgive you for that, my husband has been more than generous and reasonable tonight, I suggest you remember that, the next time you want cause trouble, do you understand me?" I say.

"I understand, tell me is Eric there listening?" he asks nervously.

"He is" I confirm.

"I truly apologise Sookie, what I did it was wrong" Alcide says.

"Apology accepted and Alcide...?" I say.

"Yes?" he says nervously.

"Don't do it again."

We say our goodbyes and I hang up and drop my phone on to the table. I look up at Eric who is watching me silently.

"Are we good?" I ask him warily.

Eric nods, "Of course we are" he says and the next thing I realise I am in his arms.

"Thank you for not over reacting to that other news, it kind of dawned on me and I realised if Sam knew about the scent thing and how bad it could be then he definitely should as well. Sam stopped me and pushed me away and told me what I was doing wrong, whereas Alcide would have willingly allowed me take on his scent" I say.

I hear Eric growl, "You do not talk to or see the dog unless I or Pam is with you, and if he contacts you during the day you do not answer his calls without witnesses present" he says.

I nod, "I understand" I say.

"Good" he replies and pulls me close and kisses me violently.

**oooOOOooo**

The next few days are a whirl of organisation, and I totally forget the drama with Alcide. During the daytime I am busy receiving the orders I placed and arranging the sprucing up of Fangtasia and making sure everything is in place. In the evenings we have meetings to check and double check that everyone knows exactly what is what, and everyone knows exactly their part to play, it is on the final meeting the night before...'the night' that Heidi appears at Fangtasia with a message for Eric.

"Victor has a new second" she says.

Everyone is immediately interested wondering who has replaced Corinna and Bruno.

"Victor sent for Akiro from Las Vegas and he arrived today so he can be with Victor when he attends tomorrow evening" Heidi says and there is a sharp intake of breath around the room, this clearly means something and I look at Eric who looks concerned.

"That is troubling" he says.

"What? What's so special about him?" I ask.

Pam looks at me, "Akiro was a Ninja warrior when he was human, he is exceptional" she says with more than a hint of awe in her voice.

I think quickly, "Ok, but that is one exceptional, we have more because the last time I looked Eric, Thalia and you were all exceptional and everyone else has been around Eric long enough to know that his planning is second to none" I say confidently.

There is a murmur of agreement and a few nods, Eric and Thalia look happy at the compliment I have given them but Pam still looks worried. I realise that this Akiro must be something really spectacular.

"Well at least we know exactly how many there will be now" I say trying to keep things positive and there is another round of murmurs and nods.

"We will prevail, and we will win" Eric says confidently.

**oooOOOooo**

When we get home I confront Eric to find out the truth.

"Do you think that this Akiro will be trouble, do you think we will struggle to win and kill Victor?" I ask.

"Yes" Eric replies and doesn't say any more.

"Pam seemed quite concerned when his name was mentioned" I say.

"With good reason" Eric says.

I think carefully, "Could you beat him?" I ask.

Eric considers this and nods but he doesn't look too confident, "I could, but our fighting styles are so different, I am direct, blunt and forceful which was the way of the Viking whereas Akiro is controlled and sneaky" he says.

"Which is the way of the Ninja" I say.

Eric nods, "If I am honest I believe the only one who could take him down is Thalia" he says.

I nod, "so if that is the case, then who is the weakest?" I ask.

Eric thinks, "Luis or Antonio or Victor himself, as he isn't a fighter" he says.

I wrap my arms around my husband, "I have faith that we will win" I say.

Eric holds me tightly, "I have asked Heidi to protect you in case Victor has a plan in place to snatch you" he says.

I go to protest but Eric holds up his hand, "we have to think of every eventuality" he says.

I think about that and nod, "Ok, but I am going to do my fair share, I don't want to be a burden to you" I say.

"You could never be a burden, but I also don't want you to get hurt" Eric says.

I nod and walk over to the weapon drawer, I pull out several daggers and look at them, then I find one carefully wrapped up right at the back I pull it out and unwrap it, when I have finished unwrapping it I take it from its protective leather sheath and look carefully at it, I watch Eric take a step back from it when he sees me holding it.

I look at it and realise why he had such a reaction to it, "this is made of silver isn't it?" I ask.

Eric nods but doesn't say anything.

"Can I use this?" I ask, I weigh it in my hand and it feels comfortable and it fits my hand well.

Eric smiles, "it is now yours, it will be good to see it being used again after all these centuries" he says.

I turn it over and look carefully at it, it is a simple design almost primitive but it is beautifully made.

Eric starts to speak "It was my brothers dagger, my human brother, when he died I was given his dagger and my father kept his sword, I haven't used it since I was turned, for obvious reasons, I learnt the hard way what silver does to a vampire" he says.

I look carefully at him, "What happened?" I ask.

"I disobeyed Ocella and he ...punished me so I took it out to kill him, I didn't know any better, I grabbed it unaware of what silver did to a vampire and my hand got badly burnt, Ocella laughed at me and then he told me about silver he then pulled on some leather gloves, took the dagger and punished me with it" he says.

I go cold, "What did he do to you?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "It was a long time ago" he says.

"Eric" I push.

He shakes his head again, "No Sookie, I will not trouble you with tales of my ancient history, not now but it is my honour to give you this dagger, use it well, my brother killed many people with it" he says.

I nod, that bothers me a little, as those people were humans but then I remember this was the time of the Vikings when killing was a part of life and I put it out of my mind.

"I will and I will take good care of it" I say, and I replace it inside its leather sheath but place it into my purse rather than re-wrap it.

"It is very well preserved for something so old" I say, Eric smiles at me.

"I took good care of it" he says. Then he stands, "Wait here I'll be back in a moment" he says.

Eric has disappeared and he returns with another heavily wrapped package and he hands it to me.

"I want you have this as well, wife of mine" he says, I unwrap the package and inside is a beautiful sword, smaller than the one which Eric uses, but this unlike the dagger looks brand new.

"This is also made of silver, I had it made for you when you started your training, and it has only just been completed" he says.

I take it and it is perfect, it feels right in my hands and I smile, "Its beautiful Eric" I say.

"I'm glad you like it" he says.

Eric disappears again and fetches his sword, "Let's practice, Akiro is an accomplished swordsman you need to be prepared" he says.

I nod, "But not with this I don't want to accidentally catch you with a silver blade" I say, Eric nods and fetches another sword and hands it to me, this one feels much heavier.

"Wait how are we going to do this, you know I can't fight you?" I say.

Eric smiles, "We will use our strong bond to our advantage, I have fought Akiro in the past and I will fight in his style and you will learn from it" he says.

I nod understanding what he is getting at, "Ok" I say.

We stand in the room and Eric alters his stance, from the way he normally stands when he is getting ready to fight, I watch him in awe of how he can adapt so quickly and then I remember his perfect recollection, all vampires have it and along with his love of battle he would be able to remember every detail of how Akiro fights.

"Are you ready?" he asks me.

I nod, "Bring it on Viking!" I say with a grin.

Eric smiles and then without warning he sweeps the sword down, I react and block him but it was more luck than judgement, but he is so fast and I can't get any attacks in I am completely on the defensive with him, Eric feels my panic and sends calmness through the bond.

"Stop panicking Sookie and remember your training" he says.

I suddenly realise what he is getting at, and I start anticipating his moves and slowly I manage to fight back, just a couple of weak swipes but the fact I managed anything was enough for me, Eric stops and I lower my sword. Then like lightening he comes at me and I scramble to block him.

"Controlled and Sneaky" I say as Eric's words go through my mind, Eric nods and I realise what he was doing.

"I get it" I say "Don't let my guard down with him, don't be fooled by his moves, always expect the unexpected" I say.

"Good, you have learnt well" Eric says.

I am panting with the exertion, "I think I'll leave Akiro to you and Thalia to despatch" I say.

Eric laughs, "You did well my love, but yes I think you would be out of your depth against him as I held back somewhat because I always feel unable to harm you" he says.

Eric puts the swords away and as I carefully re wrap my new sword a thought suddenly occurs to me.

"Eric, just one thing, how am I going to keep this with me without anyone seeing it? Its not like I can slip it into my purse" I say.

Eric laughs, "yes that is a good point" he says, "which is why it will be in the room carefully hidden and you will retrieve it when you are there, nobody will take it – only vampires enter that room and with it being silver they won't be tempted to borrow it" he says.

"Ok then" I say. "I do have one more question about tomorrow" I say.

Eric looks at me questioningly.

"What do we do afterwards?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" Eric asks.

"Well...Victor and his entourage come to Fangtasia but don't leave how do we explain it?" I ask.

Eric laughs, he clearly isn't bothered about this small detail, "we lie" he says simply.

"Ok?" I ask.

Eric nods, "We will stick to the story, we invited Victor to Fangtasia for an enjoyable evening he and his entourage left happy after that we have no idea what happened" he says.

"Won't that leave Louisiana without a monarch again?" I ask.

"Well, a regent" Eric corrects me. "It will be down to Sandy to replace Victor and keep control over the state" he adds with more than an air of unconcern.

I nod, "Ok" I say.

Eric wraps me in his arms and kisses me, "we will win" he says as though by saying it, it will make it happen.

"I hope so" I say and I rest my head against him once more.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I am on edge, I get up and I kiss Eric's motionless lips before I leave the house. I take my sword and head to Fangtasia. I arrange everything, I place the sign in the window that explains that the club is closed tonight for a private party, I put the chairs and tables out arranging them so it looks like a pleasant evening, Eric had told me how he wanted the room set out and I follow his instructions to the letter. I stand on the stage and take in the effect, the tables have been placed in such a way that everyone will have a good view of the stage, it looks intimate and we have arranged it so that Victor's entourage has been separated, by only having two chairs around each table we have set it up to look relaxed.

I stow my sword near the table earmarked for myself and Eric, I have taped it to the underneath of the table I continue with the arrangements, I have even had little place markers made for each 'guest'. I sigh as I place Heidi's name tag down on the table behind ours, Eric had insisted as we are so close to Victor and Akiro that her primary role is to protect me, I didn't protest but I am hoping that I won't need her protection and I will hold my own. I glance around at the names, each of Victors vampires is shadowed by one of ours, Thalia has been placed directly behind Akiro, Eric is to his right and Pam is to his left, but the rest of his entourage are out of his line of sight, we are hoping he is too enthralled by Bubba to notice this, and it will give us the opportunity to perhaps knock a few off before the main fighting begins.

When I am satisfied that everything is perfect I lock up and head for home.

To say I am keyed up as the afternoon wears on is an under statement, I am jumpy and jittery and I just will the sun to set so Eric will once again be with me. I try and calm myself by taking advantage of the sunshine and doing some sun bathing as I know how much Eric likes the smell of the sun on my skin. As I am lying there taking in the rays, I start to second guess myself that this was a bad idea as Eric gets quite amorous when I have been sun bathing and I don't want that to be a distraction for him tonight. I abandon the idea and head inside, I clean and tidy a perfectly clean and tidy house, and it passes the time so effectively the first thing I realise that I am not alone is when I feel Eric's cool hands on me.

"Sookie calm down" he says gently and gently pulls the brush from my hands.

I turn towards him and burst into tears, he holds me tightly and hushes me.

"I'm scared" I admit.

Eric smiles, "That is good, fear is a good thing, it stops you getting complacent" he says, "is everything ready?" he asks.

I nod and cling tighter to him, he inhales and moans, "You have been in the sun" he says.

"I know, I'm sorry, after I went out there I realised it was probably a bad idea, I don't want to be a distraction to you" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "No it is good you did that, I can make love to you before we leave, it will calm you and make you less...anxious" he says.

"But" I say but he stops me by placing his finger on my lips. Then he sweeps me up into his arms and the next thing I realise we are naked in the shower, with the water cascading down on us and Eric has me braced against the wall and is thrusting into me.

"You like shower sex" I gasp.

"It was necessary, you had the unpleasant odour of cleaning detergent about you, it was distracting me from the glorious scent of the sun" he says as he licks my neck to heal the marks he has just made when he drank from me.

He offers me his wrist which he has bitten and I drink from him as I do so he thrusts harder and in a moment of braveness as I feel myself reaching completion I let go of his wrist and bite his neck, he moans and I feel him come inside me as I drink from his neck and grip him tightly to me as I also reach my climax. I pull away and his neck looks a bit of a mess because my teeth are so blunt.

"I'm sorry" I mutter, "I got carried away" I add.

I watch as the bloody mess on his neck heals leaving no trace of my amorous attack.

"I love it when you get carried away" Eric says and he kisses me.

We head out and get dressed, Eric goes to a closet and pulls out a dress bag and hands it to me.

"I got this for you" he says.

I pull out the most beautiful dress it is red and as I put it on I also realise that even though it is a dress which looks like an event dress it also is very comfortable and I won't be restricted when it comes to the time to fight.

"Thank you, its lovely" I say as I look at myself in the mirror it is quite conservative it covers me completely but it hugs my figure so that my assets are clearly defined. I watch as Eric's fangs start to descend again as he looks at me.

"Hey, snap out of it Eric, we have a job to do" I say.

"We do" he agrees but he wraps his arms around me, "You look stunning" he says.

We leave for Fangtasia and when we arrive everyone is there waiting, they are all dressed for an evening out but the grim expressions betray the thoughts of what is to come tonight.

"Well do you like it?" I ask as Eric takes in the room.

"You did all this alone?" he asks.

I nod, "Obviously, none of y'all are around during the day" I say.

"You have done me proud my wife, you have made it look perfect" he says.

We all settle down and everyone takes their positions and we wait, Eric gets a text from Bill telling him that Bubba is having the time of his life and he is more than happy about singing tonight and is in a really good mood, and they are on their way here now.

Eric shows me the text and I smile, I imagine Bubba taking Bill cat hunting and a snort of laughter escapes me.

Eric looks at me and I quickly explain.

"I just had visions of Bubba taking Bill on a cat hunt" I say.

Eric smiles and then a chuckle escapes him.

The light hearted atmosphere suddenly disappears as Pam announces that Victor and his vampires have arrived.

I look at Eric and he kisses me soundly before turning to face everyone.

"Let's do this" he says.

I grip Eric's arm and he looks at me, "I love you" I whisper, he doesn't reply but instead I get a burst of overwhelming love through the bond and he kisses me once more.

"Showtime!" Pam says with an evil gleam in her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

I stand at Eric's side and as the first of the entourage appear I slip my hand into his and I feel him send me a wave of comfort and love, I return it to him and he squeezes my hand.

During the meetings Eric had told us to take note of the order the vampires entered the room as the ones to enter first were the most expendable, I watched and wasn't surprised to see Luis and Antonio were the first of the entourage to appear. They looked around the room like a couple of cornered animals and only slightly relaxed when I greeted them warmly.

The next to appear was Ana she stalked in and she too had eyes everywhere, then much to my surprise Akiro entered but then I realised Victor was going to preserve himself at all costs, and then in he came, his vampires circled him and I smiled brightly at them all.

"Welcome to Fangtasia Regent" Eric says politely and he bowed to Victor.

Victor returned the bow and then all the others bowed. I do find this ritual comical but I am careful not to show that amusement as that would be disrespectful and insulting, and although I don't really care about being disrespectful towards Victor this is also my husband's world and he has made so many allowances for me and my world, so many which have put him at risk of being seen as weak that I am determined not to offend him by letting him see how I feel.

"It is wonderful to be here I am greatly looking forward to this night" Victor says, and then he turns his attention to me. "Miss...Mrs Northman" he says quickly correcting himself.

I can't help myself and the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them, "Your memory is improving Victor" I say with a grin.

The other vampires in the entourage visibly bristle and Akiro places his hand on his sword but Victor stops him with a shake of his head and then laughs.

"Your caustic sense of humour is on top form tonight Mrs Northman" he says and he turns towards Akiro once more, whose hand is still hovering on his sword.

"Stand down Akiro, Mrs Northman and I are old friends and as such I do not take offence to her comments, she likes to tease me, do you not Mrs Northman?" he says.

My crazy Sookie smile gets wider and once more my mouth opens before my brain is fully engaged, "Well it is like shooting fish in a barrel" I say.

Eric sends me a blast of warning through the bond and I send him apology. But Victor is once again laughing loudly at my words.

"Can I offer you and your party a drink?" I ask as I'm fully aware of the hostility from the other vampires in the room as they are growling and hissing at me.

Victor smiles at me, "You can take the waitress out of the bar but you can't take the bar out of the waitress" he says, it's my turn to laugh now, and I know I deserved that after what I had said.

"Well Victor I was brought up right, that when you have guests you offer them hospitality" I say.

"Very commendable Mrs Northman" Victor says.

Everyone seems to relax after that and they take their seats and I head to the bar where Jock is quickly warming blood, I take a selection over and Victor picks one as he does so I quickly open it for him and place a glass in front of him on a napkin. Then I repeat the process with the other visitors.

There are no human waitresses in tonight for obvious reasons and when I am sure everyone is settled I take my place next to Eric, he reaches for me and I hold his hand and give it a squeeze. Out of habit I open my mind and cast it around, I count the voids and I feel two more approaching. Pam stands and heads out quietly and moments later the lights on the stage come on and Bubba appears, I wonder what he has been doing tonight as he does look incredibly happy, and can't help but wonder how many cats met their end tonight as his complexion is almost ruddy, he is even wearing a rhinestone covered suit. Victor is immediately transfixed, his jaw drops to the ground in shock, and I see Pam slip quietly back into her seat. Bill is in the corner of the room and he nods at me.

The music starts and Bubba starts to sing, it is amazing, he sings hit after hit and Victor is mesmerised staring at him. I look at Akiro and he looks bored and fidgety. Eric squeezes my hand and I reach for my bag and pull out a stake and pass it to him and then I slide my hand under the table for the sword I stashed earlier.

Unfortunately Ana spots me and raises the alarm, "WEAPON" she yells like a siren going off.

Bubba immediately stops singing and looks afraid and I see Bill swiftly running towards him and he escorts him from the room as all hell breaks loose. Pam pounces on Ana and cuts her throat, Luis and Antonio leap at Pam but are beaten back by Indira and Maxwell. Maxwell and Indira are fighting fiercely and their age and experience is clear against the two much younger vampires.

Ana is now finally dead after Pam finished her off. Victor is flailing about yelling and Akiro is having difficulty shadowing him and watching his own back at the same time. Pam, Eric and Thalia notice this and immediately move in to separate the two vampires and Thalia takes on Akiro with her own sword which has appeared from nowhere. I watch in shock as Akiro is like the wind he is making Thalia work for everything. I watch him intently then I see my husband fighting with Victor, who despite Eric's assertions is putting up quite an impressive fight. I look apologetically at Heidi and rush over, Eric sees me coming and quickly side steps the sword I am swinging, he grins at me as I swing it as he taught me and it slices like a knife through butter into Victors neck, but I don't have the strength to make a clean cut and the knife gets stuck about half way, blood is gushing from his artery that I severed and the skin is burning and smoking with the silver but despite all that Victor is shrieking.

"Getting burnt with silver isn't nice is it Victor" I shout at him, "Now you know how my husband felt when you bound him in silver chains" I add and I tug at the sword, it moves but doesn't release and just makes Victor yell more, Eric is watching the situation carefully ready to step in, but to his credit he doesn't, he is letting me do this, he is letting me have my moment.

Victor lurches forward to grab me and as he does so the sword frees itself and I finish the job, Akiro who was still engaged with Thalia had simply dismissed me as irrelevant and probably assumed Victor could over power me, now watches in horror as Victors head rolls on to the floor before disintegrating along with the rest of his body, but what impresses me the most is that although he is watching me he hasn't stopped fighting with Thalia and she is still struggling against him.

Eric and Pam join Thalia and they circle Akiro and I can see they are looking for a way in but he is like a machine, I've never seen anything like it. I glance over to see Maxwell stake Antonio and he helps Indira finish off Luis then they both join the others circling Akiro. I study his moves as Eric taught me and I spot a vulnerable point, I move over to his other side and he sees me and he pulls a dagger from his belt and hurls it at me, Eric yells and I move quickly and it misses me but barely. I see Akiro bring his sword down on Thalia's arm severing it she drops her sword and as he raises his arms to finish her I instinctively throw my dagger at him and it sticks into his exposed ribs and starts to burn, he pauses and stares at it and then at me in surprise and goes to pull out the dagger, I can see it is burning him, not only is his side is smoking but also his hand where he is trying to pull it out but he isn't making a sound, but he must be in severe pain, its eerie especially when you consider the fuss Victor made. But he is momentarily distracted and that distraction is enough for Eric and Pam to pounce. Pam leaps on his back and after sinking her fangs into his neck she yanks his sword from his hand and then Eric plunges the stake into his chest, and that is the end of Akiro. I stare at him almost a little sad he is dead as he truly was an amazing fighter.

My dagger lies amongst the remains and Eric calls to me.

"Sookie come and retrieve your dagger" he says, as he points at it, I can hear the pride in his voice and I feel it in our bond and I am just glad I wasn't a hindrance to him.

I fetch the dagger and wipe it. Before stowing it back into my purse. I turn and see Indira holding Thalia's severed arm in place, Thalia is paler than ever and I can see she is in a huge amount of pain they are watching me and I walk over to her and crouch beside her.

"Do you need some blood?" I ask.

"You know I don't drink that bottled rubbish and I don't see any donors around here unless you are willing to feed me?" she snaps.

I smile, "Do you seriously think I would let you go hungry?" I say and head to the bar Thalia watches me as I produce a blood bag and Thalia's eyes light up.

"You think of everything", she says.

I quickly warm it and pour it into a glass for her she gulps it down and as she does so I am preparing another, she hands me the empty glass which I swap for a full one. I see the other vampires staring at the blood enviously.

Eric comes up to me and wraps his arm around me and nuzzles my neck, I can feel he is still excited from the kill and he wants to feed, I tilt my head and he bites. After a few moments he pulls away from me and licks my neck, healing me.

Thalia is now looking much better and her arm is quickly healing, knitting back together.

I turn towards Eric, "Now what?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "We wait, the evening was a huge success and Victor and his vampires left happy" he says.

"And it's as easy as that?" I ask.

Eric nods and then kisses me, "We did what needed to be done, and you were magnificent" there are murmurs of agreement from around the room.

"I kind of messed it up though" I say.

Eric laughs, "You made Victor suffer more and that was beautiful to see, a quick painless death would have been too good for him, you gave him pain which was no more than he deserved" he says.

"It all went very smoothly, a little too smoothly, I can't help but wonder what is going to happen next" I say.

Pam looks up and nods in agreement, "She does have a point Eric we were the last ones to see Victor alive, so suspicion would naturally fall on us when it becomes apparent he and his vampires are missing. We need to plant something in Victor's office which was supposedly done after his visit here" Pam says.

Eric considers this and then nods, he turns to Maxwell, "You know what to do" he says.

Maxwell nods and vanishes into the night, he was the best choice for this task as his business mind is quick and thorough and he is a natural schemer.

I start to clean up the remains of the vampires but Eric grabs me. "Stop that, you don't need to do it" he says.

I turn towards him, "yes I do, you know we can't leave this mess for the human staff to sort out" I say. Eric knows I am right but I can tell he wants his way with me, he tells Pam and Heidi to help me, and the room is soon sorted with the help of vampire speed.

"Do we need to rearrange the room?" Pam asks looking towards Eric.

Eric thinks and shakes his head, "No leave it, the evening was a success there would be no need to move the furniture, that is a task which the human staff can undertake" he says.

Eventually Eric dismisses Heidi. As she takes her leave, she walks over and nods at me.

"You are a credit to your husband and to yourself" she says and I see Eric beam at her words.

"Thank you" I say and she nods and quickly leaves.

I turn my attention to Thalia who is flexing her fingers and moving her arm. "Are you healed?" I ask.

She nods at me, "I am, but if you have any more of that blood I wouldn't say no?" she says.

I grin at her and head over to the bar and retrieve another blood bag. Eric and Pam join me.

"Where did you get this blood from?" Pam asks me.

I look sheepishly at them, "I may have borrowed it from the hospital" I say evasively.

Pam stares at me and a huge smile fills her face, "you went to the hospital and stole some blood bags just so Thalia would have some food?" she asks, staring at me incredulously.

I shake my head, "No, not just Thalia, I got them in case anyone got hurt, as I know it works better than the synthetic blood to heal y'all."

All the vampires in the room stare at me and I look around at them.

"What did I do?" I ask.

Eric comes to me and pulls me into his arms, "Tonight you once again proved yourself worthy my wife, my lover and my Shield Maiden" he says. The other vampires nod and I look at the final bag of blood, and pour it into a glass and take it over to Thalia, she nods at me and drinks it down.

"Thank you...Sookie" She says quietly, and I know that for me to get those three words from Thalia was something monumental.

Eric's phone rings suddenly and he answers and he smiles widely. "Well that changes things considerably" he says. "Wait, Maxwell I am putting you on speaker so the others can hear this" he says.

He presses a button on his phone, "Proceed" he orders.

Maxwell's voice fills the room, "I'm in Victor's office and I have found evidence of a plan to abduct Sookie tonight, the moron had his plans in writing, it appears they had a similar plan to us but we struck first," he says.

My mind starts working overtime, "So technically we were within our rights to kill them?" I say.

Eric nods, Pam laughs and Thalia shakes her head. Indira looks from Eric to Pam and then to me waiting for someone to say something.

My mind quickly starts to form a plan, I grasp Eric's arm and he looks at me questioningly.

"Eric we need to file a complaint to Sandy, we need to get in there and tell her what we did, I mean we set up a lovely evening of entertainment for the Regent and he used that to try and abduct me despite the fact his monarch is currently incarcerated for failing to comply to his own oath, an oath which he as regent would also be bound to," I pause and look at Eric meaningfully to see I have this correct, Eric nods.

"So Eric and Pam were abiding by the oath and protecting me when I was grabbed and a fight ensued and unfortunately the Regent and his vampires were killed" I say.

Eric nods and he gives me a devious grin, "That sounds about right" he says, "Maxwell leave everything as you found it and return" he says.

Maxwell hangs up and Eric immediately calls Sandy Sechrest. Once again putting the call on speaker so we can all hear he waits for her to pick up.

"Sandy Sechrest" an efficient voice snaps.

"Sandy, good evening it is Sheriff Northman from area 5, Louisiana, I call with grave news" he says.

"Sheriff Northman, what is the problem?" she asks.

"The regent and his retinue are dead" Eric says bluntly.

"Dead, how?" Sandy says, something about her tone tells me she knew of the plan and I send Eric a burst of negativity.

I see when he receives it and he looks at me. "The regent tried to abduct my wife" he says stiffly.

There is a silence, and I step forward and stare at Eric's phone.

"What happened?" she asks eventually.

"We had prepared an evening here at Fangtasia to entertain our regent and his retinue, and during the evening they attacked us and tried to take my wife by force" Eric says.

"Is she harmed?" Sandy says.

"Thankfully no, but as you can imagine she is very angry and upset" Eric says.

"Naturally" Sandy says.

"I had no choice but to come to the aid of my wife and my vampires followed, as we are honourable and we followed the order of the Oath of Protection" Eric says.

"Even though the monarch himself failed to do so" Sandy says.

"Yes" Eric says.

There is another silence, "I will need a full written report of what happened there tonight Northman, signed by you and your vampires" she says.

"It will be done" Eric says.

"Goodnight Sheriff" Sandy says.

"Goodnight" Eric replies.

Everyone turns to look at Eric and he looks at me. I get confusion through the bond and I realise he wants to know what I was trying to tell him before.

"She knows, she knows of the plan and she wants your version to make sure the events tally with what she already knows, that is why Maxwell found the plan written down, it was written down not because Victor was a moron...well he was, but because he sent the plan to Sandy" I say.

Eric nods, "It sounds reasonable" he says.

Maxwell comes through the door with papers in his hand and hands them to Eric; I copied them before I returned them. He says.

Eric takes the papers and I feel his anger as he reads them.

"Eric...honey?" I say nervously.

Eric looks at me and I see the anger in his eyes, "He wanted you for himself, not only to use your gift but as a pet, he wanted...you" he says tightly.

"But I'm yours, isn't it wrong for another vampire to take a human who has been claimed by another?" I ask.

Everyone nods.

"And you have claimed me comprehensively, we are blood bonded and married by law and by vampire pledging, so surely you were totally within your rights to kill another vampire who tried to take me from you?" I say.

Again everyone nods.

"So what is the problem?" I ask "Victor is dead, job done!" I say as if that should explain everything.

"You killed him Sookie" Pam says.

"And?" I ask.

"Eric should have killed him" she says.

"Does it matter? He is dead, that's the main thing" I say, clearly not understanding the intricacies of vampire politics.

Eric takes me in his arms, "I failed you, I should have honoured you, you are my wife" he says.

I stare at him, not quite believing this is all boiling down to Eric's dented ego.

"Eric you were proud of me a few minutes ago because I killed Victor and messed it up making him suffer, what's changed?" I ask.

Eric pulls me to him even tighter, "I am proud of you Sookie, you have done nothing wrong" he says.

I'm still not getting this and I look up at him.

"What am I missing here?" I say.

"When the enquiry is undertaken I will have to swear that I killed Victor to avenge his actions against you and the slight against me, I will have to take that from you" Eric says.

It all becomes crystal clear, Eric has to be seen as being the avenger, because Victor wanted to take me and in vampire eyes I am considered Eric's, so for me to have killed Victor makes him look weak, but he loves me so much he doesn't want to steal my thunder.

"Because I killed Victor it will make you look weak" I say.

Eric nods and I shrug, "Tell them you did it then, I don't care" I say.

Eric beams at me "Then I will credit you with the Akiro kill" he says grandly.

I shrug again, "Whatever, I played my part, I threw the dagger which distracted him letting you and Pam finish him off" I say.

I find all this deceit to save face unnecessary but if it makes Eric feel better then I'm prepared to go along with it. I yawn suddenly I am tired and ready for bed.

"Let me take you home my wife" he says to me.

I nod and without another word spoken Eric sweeps me up into his arms and leaves Fangtasia.

The drive home is silent and I wait for Eric to say something, but he doesn't, when we get home and Eric locks the door I turn and face him.

"Oh mister, spill, what's eating you? What is this all about?" I ask.

"You killed Victor" he says.

"Yes and that is what we wanted, that is what we planned" I say.

"It was my place to kill him" he insists and I realise this is still his wounded pride talking.

I walk up to him and press my hands against his chest, "Eric listen to me" I say, "We planned to kill Victor tonight that was the intention - that was the whole point of this evening" I say.

Eric nods at me, "Yes" he says.

"So there was you, Pam, Thalia, Maxwell, Indira, Heidi, Jock and me in that room, eight of us, any one of us could have taken the kill, you stepped back and let me have it for god's sake, I really don't see the issue here" I say.

"He wanted you" Eric says and the penny finally drops, this has nothing to do with who killed Victor this is the fact Victor wanted me, he wanted what wasn't his to have. That is what is niggling at Eric and because Eric didn't make the kill it still feels unfinished to him.

"Eric it's over, done, we have evidence that he planned to take me for himself tonight which is against practically every vampire rule there is under the circumstances, but ...and this is really important, you didn't know that until after Victor was dead so you didn't fail in anything, you are not weak, you are strong and you are brave – you could have taken that kill for yourself but you stepped aside and let me finish it, and I made a mess of it, time after time you have risked looking weak in the eyes of your community because of me and because of your love for me, but you have continued regardless, and to me that is strength Eric and you are upset just because you didn't strike the killer blow to avenge something you didn't even know was happening...well that's silly, that is false pride and vanity and false pride and vanity is a weakness and you are not a weak vampire, because if you were I would not love you and I would not have married you" I say.

Eric thinks about this, "You are very wise" he says eventually.

I laugh, "Its common sense" I say, "But I need to ask something" I add.

Eric nods, "Is there any chance we could be in trouble for what we did tonight?" I ask.

There is a pause, "It depends how Sandy reacts, if she was involved she will not want that fact disclosed, especially after the detention of Felipe, so it is my view that when we send her the report she will rule that we acted lawfully, it may be brought up at the summit when Felipe is questioned for his wrong doing, but I doubt it, Sandy will want to distance herself from the plot and she will take the appropriate action as acting monarch and that will be the last we hear of it" Eric says.

"So who will be doing the questioning of Felipe at the summit?" I ask.

"The Amun clan monarchs" Eric says, "Possibly the Ancient Pythoness will attend but it is unlikely" he adds.

"Mr Cataliades said..." I begin.

"I know, but she rarely gets involved with such disputes, she leaves it to the clan monarchs to resolve" he says.

"Well that's a good thing isn't it? I mean Felipe invades, kills Sophie Ann, takes over, throws his weight about kills the area sheriffs and basically causes havoc" I say.

Eric snorts, "and behaves dishonourably by failing to live up his own oath of protection" he says.

"Yeah and that, so my guess is, the other clan monarchs will be sympathetic towards us, right?" I ask.

"Our case is very good and Mr Cataliades will be there to strengthen it and persuade them of the correct way to think" he says.

"Will we have to give evidence?" I ask.

Eric nods, "I will" he says.

"What about me?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No your word will be discounted as you are human" he says.

"Why?" I ask indignantly.

"Humans can be glamoured" Eric says.

"But I can't be glamoured" I say.

"I know, but humans..." he trails off

"Are not recognised in a vampire court or whatever it is" I finish, and Eric nods again.

I watch as he waits for me to speak to again, and I grin at him, "well we'd better get our story straight and you'd better be good up there!" I say.

Eric laughs and kisses me, "I thought you'd be unhappy that you would be unable to have your say" he says.

I shrug, "No, I get that vampire politics is complicated and I don't want to make things bad for you by kicking up a fuss" I say. "But that doesn't mean I'll let them push me around" I add.

"I don't think they would dare" he says.

I yawn and Eric scoops me up and takes me to our room and lays me on the bed. "Get some rest my love" he says, he kisses me and then stands, "Sleep well and I'll see you tomorrow" he says.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"We have to get our story straight" he says.

I nod and he kisses me once more before disappearing out of the room.

I lie there and think over everything he has said and that little seed of an idea I had is calling to me once more only it is getting really big now and I realise that it is no longer just an idea in the abstract it is turning into a real possibility and one which I am growing more accustomed to as the days pass, and as I think about it I slowly drift off to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

I wake up the next morning and turn to look at my husband who is motionless beside me. As is my ritual now, I press a kiss to his cold lips before I leave him. I double check I have secured the chamber and the bedroom before I head to the kitchen for something to eat.

It is here I find a note, propped up against the coffee machine, I recognise the writing as my husbands. I rip open the envelope with a smile and begin to read.

_My darling wife_

_Please forgive the impersonal nature of this note, but I feel you need to be briefed on the events of last night after you retired to bed._

_I called together everyone, and we came up with a reasonable version of events taking into consideration the plan Victor had which we believe was sent to Sandy. I was going to brief you on this version tonight when I rose but after a surprise call by Sandy I felt I needed to call you now as she suggested that she would be contacting you today via her human employees and I need you to answer any questions they may ask correctly._

_The version of events which was given to Sandy last night is as follows, Victor, Akiro, Ana, Luis and Antonio arrived for the entertainment at 9pm they were on time._

I grin at the amount of detail but continue to read.

_We greeted our guests and you engaged Victor in conversation and you made Victor laugh although the comments you made appeared to anger his entourage, Victor calmed them and they took their seats, you served them blood and Victor made comments about your previous employment as a waitress. Everyone settled down and the entertainment began. _

This is pretty much exactly what happened so I am interested to see how what actually happened next differs from the version Eric came up with, I carry on reading.

_It was about half way into the evening of entertainment that things started to go wrong. Ana moved from her seat and moved closer to you taking an empty seat behind you, you noticed and you informed me via emotions through our blood bond of the vampire's presence. This alerted me to the fact something was wrong and it was then I noticed that Luis and Antonio were also closing in. Pam and Thalia saw what was happening and they shadowed the two young vampires, by moving with them. Then there was a pause in the entertainment and Victor requested some more blood, you stood to fetch the blood and as you became separated from us, Ana grabbed you to forcibly remove you from the room._

_She was unaware that you had been training in combat and self defence with Thalia and I, and you instinctively reacted to the hostile approach. It was at that point that all pretence was dropped. I tried to come to your aid but I was fended off and kept back by Akiro. But you were able remove yourself from Ana and as you were throwing her she broke her neck, as she lay incapacitated you reached for your purse and produced a silver dagger which you had previously trained with and ended Ana. Luis and Antonio tried to approach you but they were swiftly despatched by Thalia and Pam. This angered Victor and he ordered that Akiro kill Pam and Thalia. Akiro left me which left me free to attack Victor as he was going to grab you himself. He said the words 'you will be mine' as he tried to take you but I leapt on him and snapped his neck and informed him that you were mine. I then staked Victor in retaliation and ended him. Akiro was fighting with Pam and Thalia and managed to sever Thalia's arm as he lifted his sword to end her, you noticed and on instinct you threw your dagger at him, it hit him in his ribs and began to burn him this distracted him enough for you to grab the stake I had killed Victor with and before any of us could stop you, while he was preoccupied with removing the dagger and watching Pam who was also trying to come at him you ran towards him and plunged the stake into his chest and ended him, Pam, Thalia and I were astonished at your calm and collected ruthless response, you too seemed surprised at how ruthless and accomplished you had been and you thanked Thalia and myself for the training you had received. Then you fetched some blood for Thalia so that she could heal the severed arm which Indira was holding in place. I took you in my arms and checked you over for any injury and I was astonished to discover that you were totally unharmed. You allowed me to feed from you and I gave you some of my blood. You appeared to then have a nervous reaction to everything that had happened and you became very emotional so I decided to take you home, I stayed with you until you fell asleep you appeared to be concerned that I would be in trouble for what had happened and I assured you that everything was done in self defence, Victor had once again ignored the Oath of Protection and he had the desire to take you from me by force which considering we are bonded, pledged and married is a very serious offence. I managed to reassure you that all would be well and I promised you that I would call Sandy to inform her of the unfortunate events of the evening._

_So my wife you need to follow this series of events should anyone contact you today. I believe that you will be contacted as if Sandy were to contact you tonight; she knows there is a chance that I may have manipulated your memories._

_I am very proud of you Sookie you were magnificent last night and as I promised I credited you with the death of Akiro as I had to take Victors._

_I love you my lover, my wife and my shield maiden._

_E xx_

I read through it several times and get the story straight in my head and then I slip the letter into my pocket and have some breakfast.

After breakfast and a shower I head to the dry cleaners and stock up on blood before going to Fangtasia to do some work. The human staff are in the building as Eric had arranged for them to come in to tidy up as they had been given the previous night off. They smile at me and greet me warmly when they see me and I head to Eric's office and start to work.

The first thing I find is paperwork to be completed regarding the events of last night; it makes me smile at the bureaucracy that surrounds vampires. I pull out Eric's letter and fill in the form in line with what Eric told me. As I finish filling it in the office phone rings and I quickly answer it.

"Fangtasia, Sookie Northman speaking" I say.

"Mrs Northman, I was told that I would be able to speak with you today, my name is Yvonne Garrity and I am the personal day assistant for Sandy Sechrest, the acting vampire queen of Nevada, Louisiana and Arkansas," she pauses as she lets me take that in.

"Oh hello, what can I do for you?" I ask.

"I have been instructed by Ms Sechrest to call and find out what happened last night when there was an unfortunate incident at Fangtasia resulting the final death of the regent Victor Madden and members of his retinue" she says.

I snort, "You can say that again, did my husband call Sandy, he assured me he would?" I ask innocently.

"Yes he did, and we also got versions of events from other vampires who were present, however Ms Sechrest believes that it would be useful for us to get your point of view of the events of last night as well, as Mr Northman informed her that when he spoke to her last night you had gone home to sleep, and as Ms Sechrest is obviously unable to talk to you in the daytime, she has instructed me to call you" she says.

"Ok, but she could have called me herself tonight I would have been happy to talk to her then" I say.

There is a pause, "Mrs Northman, Ms Sechrest feels it is best I call you during the daytime before your husband rises and while events of last night are fresh and clearer in your mind" she says.

I smile she means before Eric can glamour me into saying what he wants me to say.

"Ok, what do you want to know?" I ask.

I hear a click and I know that she is recording the conversation. She goes through a series of questions which I answer, and then she asks me to tell her what happened last night from my point of view, in my own words, I quickly tell her keeping it in line with what Eric put in his letter, I add that I was shocked at what I had done, and couldn't believe how I had reacted.

I explain that Eric has been training me and that he had taught me everything he knew and that I also had been having training with Thalia and she had pushed me and taught me things, I tell her that I didn't realise I would have to use that training so soon. I asked if Eric was in trouble and I was assured that he had acted lawfully and that Victor was the one who had behaved badly and she said that it was good that Victor was dead as he would have been treated harshly had it been dealt with by vampire law for what he did.

She asks me what happened when it was all over and I tell that it all seemed to hit me and I became very upset and emotional and I was just worried that Eric would be in trouble, I lay it on thick and say how I had repeatedly asked Eric to call Sandy and explain and he promised me that he would, I say how he had taken me home and I had gone to bed and Eric had promised me that everything would be alright.

Yvonne Garrity listens to all this and she questions me on my killing of Akiro and I go through the version of events in Eric's note talking about it as though it is from my point of view.

"You seem to have an impressive kill record Mrs Northman, your husband explained to Sandy last night that you seem to have an uncanny knack of killing strong and powerful vampires" she says eventually.

I laugh, "Perhaps, but they were all pretty much blind luck, but I like to think I have the luck of the Fae on my side" I say.

"The Fae?" Yvonne asks.

"Yes, my great grandfather is Niall Brigant the crown prince of the Sky Fae" I say innocently.

"Oh that changes things considerably" she says.

"How?" I ask nervously wondering if I have done the right thing.

"You have Fae blood, which means you cannot be glamoured" she says.

I am surprised that she knows this, "That is correct, I can't" I confirm.

"And Fae can't lie" she says, I smile, full Fae can't lie but they are known to be economical with the truth that they do tell and as I am mainly human, with only a dash of Fae blood and I also carry demon blood from the gift of Mr Cataliades gave my grandmother I am quite capable of lying when needs be, but she doesn't need to know that.

"That is also correct, the Fae cannot lie" I say.

"Well thank you Mrs Northman your testimony has been very helpful" she says. With that I hear another click and she thanks me once more and says goodbye, I say goodbye and hang up.

Something occurs to me, Eric told me that I wouldn't be called to give evidence against Felipe but now that it has been established that as far as they are concerned my word can be trusted without question I may be called to give evidence at a vampire trial.

I carry on with my work when my cell phone starts ringing, I glance at it and it's a number I don't recognise, I answer it cautiously.

"Hello" I say.

"Hello am I talking to Sookie Stackhouse?" the female voice says, I hear by the tone of her voice that she is incredibly upset.

"You are" I say but don't offer anything else.

"Hello Sookie you don't know me, I'm Erin, Remy Savoy's girlfriend" she says.

I pause I knew Remy had split up with Kristen, but I wasn't aware he had moved on quite so comprehensively.

"Oh hello, what can I do for you?" I ask.

"There has been a terrible accident, Remy was in a car accident this morning, and he's hurt real bad" she says and a sob escapes her.

"Oh my god, Hunter, is he ok?" I ask.

"Yes he was totally unhurt, and so was I – more or less, we were all in the car together but the car that hit us, well Remy got the brunt of it" she says. "I have Hunter with me but he has been asking for you, Remy had this number in his phone, I'm sorry for calling..." she stops.

"I'm on my way, tell me where you are?" I ask.

"Remy was taken to Shreveport Hospital and that is where we are right now" she says.

"Ok I know it, I'm on my way" I say. I quickly finish what I am doing and then head home and leave a note for Eric telling him where I am in case I get delayed and am not there when he rises and then I go to the hospital. I am directed to the correct floor and I see Erin and she has Hunter on her knee, he appears to be asleep and they have both been crying.

"Hunter" I say as I walk towards them.

Erin looks up at me and I smile widely at her, she nudges Hunter and points at me.

"Aunty Sookie" he squeals and wriggles from her lap and runs to me.

"Hi, are you ok?" I ask.

Hunter nods, "My daddy is hurt though, he is hurt real bad" and he sobs.

"Ok" I say and hug him.

_A car hit us I was so scared_ Hunter tells me in his head.

_Sshh everything is going to be ok you are safe now _I tell him and I hug him tightly.

I pick him up into my arms and walk over to Erin who stands and shakes my hand; I notice that she looks pale.

"Hello, I've heard so much about you, Remy said you are Hunters cousin" she says.

I nod, "yes his mother was my late cousin Hadley" I say.

Erin touches my arm and to my surprise she speaks telepathically to me, _I understand, Remy has told me everything, I know about Hunter and his special gift and how you have the same gift._

"Are you...?" I ask.

Erin shakes her head, "No but I wanted you know that I knew and it's not the type of thing you speak about publicly" she looks around.

"Thank you" I say.

"Hunter told me how you had been helping him and teaching him" she says, "I have been trying to help too, I hope you don't mind?" she asks.

I smile at her, "No not at all" I say.

I look at her carefully and then listen to her, she is genuine and a sincerely nice person.

"So what's happening?" I ask.

"Remy is in surgery" she says.

I nod, "Ok well I've cleared my day and I'll stay here with you" I say.

"Thank you" she says in a relieved tone.

We wait for what seems like an eternity. I feel something inside me and I glance at the window and realise darkness has fallen and what I can feel is Eric rising. I send him a burst of love and I get concern in return.

"Excuse me", I say and reach for my phone and call him.

"Sookie I am just reading your message, what has happened?" he asks.

"It's Remy, he has been in a car accident and I'm at the hospital with Hunter and Remy's girlfriend, Erin" I say.

"Which hospital are you in?" Eric asks.

"I'm here in Shreveport" I say.

The line goes dead. I smile and stare at the phone, telephone manners are not a huge concern for vampires.

I return to Erin and put my phone away, and we resume our wait, don't think Eric will come to the hospital, he has good self control but the amount of blood just lying around would be hard even for the strongest vampires. As I am thinking this I see him enter the waiting room and I realise he must have flown here.

I stand and walk over to him.

"Hi, what are you doing here?" I ask.

"I felt your worry, does he live?" he asks.

I shrug, "I have no idea, he was taken to theatre hours ago and nobody has been to tell us how he is" I say.

Eric nods and turns and walks to the desk, the receptionist looks startled to be face to face with a vampire.

"Good evening I am enquiring about Remy Savoy, he is my wife's relation and there has been no information available, can you find out how Mr Savoy is?" Eric asks politely.

The receptionist nods and quickly taps on the computer in front of her. "Still in theatre I'm afraid" she says and my heart sinks this isn't good.

Eric can feel my emotions and he wraps his arm around me. "All will be well" he says and kisses me.

"Have you fed?" I whisper.

Eric nods, "I had several bottles of blood before I left" he says.

I press my hand on his chest, "Thank you for coming, you didn't have to but you did" I say.

Eric pulls me closer. "He is your family, if something had happened to Pam you would be by my side" he says.

"I need to talk to you, I got a call today from Sandy's day person" I say.

"I thought you would, did you tell her what was agreed?" he asks.

I nod, "Yes and I may have let slip that I have Fae heritage and she knew that I couldn't be glamoured and she also seemed to think that I couldn't lie, because Fae can't lie" I say.

"But you are not full Fae" Eric says with a frown.

"I know that, and you know that, but she seems to think that even part Fae can't lie and I may have let her continue to think that" I say and look at Eric innocently.

He smiles at me, "You are very devious" he says.

I laugh, "living with you rubs off on me" I say.

"I am wounded" Eric says with mock hurt.

"Hello" We both turn at the greeting to see Hunter staring up at Eric. "You are the man from the closet" he says.

Eric laughs and crouches down to Hunter, "Hello young man, yes I hid in Sookie's closet" he says.

"What are you?" Hunter asks and then he looks at me, "Are you a...vampire like Heidi?" he asks.

I am surprised he remembered Heidi.

"Yes I am a vampire, but do not be afraid of me because I promise I won't hurt you" Eric says, and I am very surprised at his kindness with Hunter.

Hunter looks closely at Eric. "Do you like my Aunty Sookie?" he asks.

Eric smiles, "Indeed I do, I love her, I love her so much that I married her" he whispers as if he is telling Hunter a secret.

Hunter glances at the ring on Eric's hand and then touches it, "That is your wedding ring" he says.

Eric nods, "It is" he says.

Erin makes her way over warily and I remember my manners.

"Erin it's ok, this is my husband, Eric Northman" I say, "Eric this is Erin Remy's girlfriend" I say.

Eric unfolds to his full height and nods at Erin. "Were you badly hurt?" he asks.

Erin stares at him, "No just a few cuts and bruises" she says.

Eric frowns, "You need to get the bruise on your side checked out, it appears that there is some internal damage" he says.

Erin stares at him, and lifts her shirt and I gasp at the enormous angry looking bruise on her side. "Did you get yourself checked out?" I ask.

Erin shakes her head, "Hunter was so upset, I said I was fine, and I just didn't ..." I watch as she stops talking and collapses in front of me.

"Erin!" I say and I am on my knees pulling her towards me.

"Erin, wake up" Hunter says franticly.

"Hunter come here" I say as Eric steps forward.

Eric lifts Erin into his arms and calls for assistance, several doctors come running with a trolley and Eric lays her on it. "She appears to have internal injuries she didn't get checked out when she arrived and has been here a number of hours" he says.

The doctors stare at him and nod before wheeling Erin away.

I sit down and Hunter clambers on to my knee he is very quiet and he clings to me tightly. I try and comfort him and tell him that everything will be ok. Eric watches him and an odd expression crosses his face.

"Hey are you alright?" I ask him.

He nods and then goes perfectly still, and I know he has gone into down time.

"Is he asleep, he still has his eyes open?" Hunter asks.

I shake my head, "No he has gone into down time, Vampires can do that, they sort of just shut down" I say.

A doctor approaches us and I stand up, Eric returns and stands by my side. The doctor looks at him warily.

"I'm a relation of Remy Savoy" I say.

"Are you the next of kin?" the doctor asks.

I shake my head, "No this is his son, his girlfriend collapsed and is being seen by doctors, I'm not sure if there is anyone else, he has parents I think" I say remembering Remy speaking of them.

"You are?" the doctor asks.

"I'm Sookie Northman, I am Hunter's cousin on his late mother's side" I explain. A brief look passes over the doctor's face as I say this, but before either of us can say anything Hunter speaks.

He is looking at the doctor carefully, and tears start to pour down his cheeks "My daddy is dead" he says and sobs.

The doctor looks horrified as I try and comfort Hunter.

_Hey come on, I'm here_ I say soothingly.

_What will happen to me? Gran doesn't like me she thinks I'm weird,_ Hunter is distraught and buries himself in my chest and sobs.

I look up and I see Eric has glamoured the doctor to forget what he has just witnessed.

"I'm very sorry for your loss" the doctor says and walks away.

Eric gently touches Hunters arm, "Hunter, can you hear me" Eric asks.

Hunter looks up and nods.

"Eric what are you doing?" I ask nervously.

He holds up his hand, "Tell me do you still have your fathers phone?" he asks.

Hunter nods and pulls it from his pocket, and offers it to Eric.

Eric smiles at him, and thanks him.

"How did you know he had that?" I ask.

"When you were talking to the girlfriend, Hunter told me his father gave him his phone to play with in the car" he says. I stare at him amazed at how his mind works, I watch him as he thumbs through the contacts and shows me one titled 'mom'.

He hands me the phone and I take a deep breath and press the number.

"Hello" an elderly voice answers.

"Hello am I talking to Remy Savoy's mother?" I ask.

"Yes who is this please?" the woman asks.

"You don't know me, my name is Sookie Northman, and I am Hunter's cousin on his mother's side" I say.

"You are that freak who has the same problem as the boy?" she spits.

I am taken aback by that and it must show on my face as Eric sits up and pays attention.

"Mrs Savoy I will ignore that for the moment as I have some bad news, I am currently at the hospital with Hunter, there has been an accident, Erin Remy's girlfriend is hurt and Remy...Remy...Remy didn't make it" I say.

There is stunned silence, "What are you doing there?" she asks.

"Erin called me, Hunter was asking for me" I say.

"Which hospital are you at?" she asks.

"Shreveport" I say.

There is another silence. "Alright, are you expecting me come and collect the boy?" she asks.

I stare at the phone, "No Mrs Savoy I was ringing you to tell you that your son is dead and your grandson has been made an orphan and he needs his family" I say.

"I don't want him" she says flatly, "that child gives me the creeps" she adds.

I can't believe what I am hearing. Eric can hear every word and he looks at Hunter and then at me and I am surprised when Eric starts to talk to Hunter to distract him from the conversation I am having. I step away slightly before I continue.

"He is your grandson!" I exclaim.

"I told Remy to get rid of him he should be committed it's not natural the way he knows what you are thinking" she says.

I am totally speechless and a tear rolls down my cheeks, I have no idea what to do, I can't take Hunter back to our house but I can't leave him here.

Eric can sense my feelings and he holds his hand out for the phone, he encourages Hunter to come to me. I lean closer so I can hear, "Good evening, I am Sookie's husband, am I to take it that you are relinquishing all claim on the boy?" he asks.

"Yes" she says.

"So you will have no objection if Sookie and I were to take the child to our home for now?" he asks.

"No, you can have him" she says.

Eric shakes his head, "Thank you Mrs Savoy" he says and hangs up. He gives the phone back to Hunter.

"Eric are you sure?" I ask.

He nods once, "The child is your kin and he has no-one else" he says curtly and stands. "I'll go and prepare a place for him to sleep" he says and with that he leaves.

"Am I staying at your house Auntie Sookie?" Hunter asks.

I nod, "Yes and no" I say, "you are staying at my house but not the same one which you stayed in before, I live in Shreveport now with my husband" I explain.

Hunter nods. He looks lost and sad and I gather him up into my arms.

I head over to the desk to find out what has happened to Erin and I am told she has been taken into surgery. I write a quick note explaining that I have called Remy's mother and she told me to take Hunter, I don't mention Remy I will leave that to the hospital team to do. The receptionist assures me that she will make sure Erin gets the message and I thank her and take Hunter home.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

As I am driving home I watch Hunter carefully through the mirror he has fallen asleep curled up in the back of the car and as I do so a crazy idea comes into my head. As soon as we get back I carry Hunter inside and Eric is waiting for me as is Mr Cataliades.

"Why are you here Mr Cataliades?" I ask.

"Eric called me and told me what had happened, I came to offer my assistance" he looks at the sleeping boy in my arms, "This is Hunter?" he asks.

I nod, "I'm glad you are here as I have an idea and I need to know if it's a good one, and if it is, if it can even be done" I say.

The two men stare at me. Eric takes Hunter from my arms and carries him upstairs to the room he has prepared for him. When he returns he folds his arms and waits for me to speak and I blurt out my idea.

"The Cluviel Dor can you use it to bring someone back to life, could I bring back Remy?" I ask.

Both men look at each other and in unison they nod at me.

"Yes you could, but there will be repercussions, such a huge wish will undoubtedly result in an equally large repercussion" Mr Cataliades says.

"The Cluviel Curse I told you about" Eric adds.

I think carefully, "So are you saying someone else could die as a result?" I ask.

"It is not known what will happen, but there has to be balance" Mr Cataliades says.

I look towards the stairs, "I need to try, for that little boy up there, he needs his daddy, I spoke to his grandmother and she called him 'the boy', and she said she didn't want him, she is scared of him because of his telepathy, he only has me now who understands fully and what kind of life would he have with us he would never be safe" I say.

I look up at Eric, "Oh god honey I'm sorry, I don't mean you would harm him, but we wouldn't be able to keep it to ourselves that he is a telepath, vampires come here and word would get around that we had him living with us and we would always be on edge that someone would find out and say something or someone would want to use him, I just want him to have a normal childhood, his best chance of that is to be with his dad" I say.

Eric smiles and then he thinks carefully "we can do this, it will be complex but it can be done" he says.

Mr Cataliades looks at us both. He has listened carefully to everything I have said and hasn't commented but he looks incredibly sad. "I will stay with the boy" he says.

"But he doesn't know you" I say.

"I can alter my appearance I will take on an appearance familiar to him so not to distress him" he says.

I nod, "Thank you" I say.

I head upstairs and retrieve the Cluviel Dor from its hiding place and I can feel its magic humming beneath my fingers it's as if it knows it is going to be used. Eric takes me to the hospital on the drive there he quickly runs through what we are going to do, he tells me that we will go to the morgue, find Remy, make the wish, then I will get Remy out of there while he goes and alters records accordingly.

"Thank you for doing this" I say quietly.

"I can understand why you want to do it" he says.

"Are you mad at me for using the Cluviel Dor on Hunter and Remy?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No, of course not I am very proud of you, and if I am truthful I am glad the charm will be gone after tonight, its existence always left the possibility for Niall to return at some point."

Eric pauses and thinks carefully before he speaks again "but tell me had you not had the stone would you have taken guardianship of the boy?" he asks.

I sigh, "Yes I probably would. I wouldn't have had any other choice and Hunter would have needed me, he's my family but it would have been hard" I say.

"I often wonder what became of my own children when I was turned" Eric says quietly after a moment.

I reach for him and squeeze his knee, "Eric" I start.

"I know my father took them in, he would have to, it would be his duty to do so, but I wonder if he did it out of love or duty and whether my children were made to feel like a burden to him" he says.

I realise this whole episode must have unearthed some pretty old memories and I have no idea what to say, so I just send Eric all the love and comfort I can through the bond. I know when he receives it as he removes a hand from the steering wheel and places it on top of mine and squeezes.

We make our way in silence to the morgue, Eric seems to know his way around I try not to focus too closely on how that can be, but I follow him and we soon find Remy's drawer. I look at the dead figure and I look at Eric before I press the Cluviel Dor to Remy's heart and I wish him to live with everything I have.

"Remy please live, Hunter needs you, please live, I want you to live, I need you to live, so please Remy open your eyes and live" I say.

I feel the Cluviel Dor vibrate and it bursts open a blinding bright light escapes from it and enters Remy, I hold my breath and wait, moments later Remy takes a deep breath and opens his eyes.

"What? How? Where I am I?" he asks.

"Sit up slowly" Eric says, Remy stares at Eric and then at me.

"Where am I" he asks as he heaves himself up.

"In the morgue, you died" I say.

Remy looks at Eric, "Please don't say?" he begins and I shake my head, "No Eric didn't turn you, you were already dead, I used this" I say and hold up the now empty stone.

"What is that?" he asks.

"Magic" I say, "But it can only be used once so you have to stay alive from now on ok?" I say.

Remy nods, and its as if it all comes back to him, "Hunter and Erin?" he asks.

Hunter is fine, he is at our house, Erin is somewhere in the hospital she was badly hurt but she called me" I explain.

"Hunter is ok?" Remy asks and I see the relief on his face.

"He is, he was totally unhurt and at the moment he is fast asleep at our house and a good friend of ours is watching him, and don't worry if he wakes up he will believe it is either me or Eric with him" I say.

Remy looks at me totally lost. "Look I'll explain everything properly later but we need to get out of here, are you ok to walk?" I ask.

Remy nods, "I feel ...good" he says.

I smile and I help him off the drawer. Eric has vanished and I know he is amending records and making things seem that Remy never died.

I drive Remy back to our house and Remy turns to look at me, "You and Eric did all this for me and Hunter?" he asks.

I nod, "I spoke to your mother to tell her you had died and her reaction was so appalling I knew I had to bring you back somehow for Hunter" I say.

"Yeah she isn't too tolerant of Hunter, I try not to see her too often" he says. "Wait my mother thinks I'm dead?" he says.

I think about that, "We'll figure something out" I say confidently.

We arrive at our house and Remy looks around, impressed with what he is seeing.

"Where is Hunter?" he asks.

"I'll show you" I say and I lead him upstairs and come face to face with ...me

I quickly shut the door and moments later Mr Cataliades comes out looking like himself again.

"He woke up and called out for you so I just told him everything would be fine and he went back to sleep". Mr Cataliades explains.

"Thank you" Remy says to him and I quickly introduce the two men. Remy goes to shake his hand but then hesitates and Mr Cataliades smiles and offers his hand.

"I am not a vampire, I am willing to shake your hand" he says.

This small interaction makes Remy relax a bit. Then he opens the door and sits beside his son and presses a kiss to his head. Hunter rouses and opens his eyes; he stares at his father in shock and then flings his arms around him.

"DADDY!" he says. "But the doctor?" he says.

I sit down on the bed, "The doctor was looking for someone else, he had the wrong person, let that be a lesson to you not to look into peoples heads randomly as you can find out things which aren't meant for you" I say, I know its a lie but its the only thing I can think of to explain things.

Hunter nods solemnly.

"I have learnt my lesson, I don't want to hear people's thoughts any more, I don't like it I just want to be normal" he says sadly.

I look at Mr Cataliades he looks sad but steps forward. "I can help you with that Hunter" he says.

"Who are you?" Hunter asks.

I smile, "This is my friend, he is like us he can listen to people too" I say. Hunter stares at Mr Cataliades but doesn't say anything.

Mr Cataliades puts his hand on Hunter's head and mutters some words I see something like smoke rise from Hunters head; Remy looks concerned for a moment but doesn't say anything.

"There" Mr Cataliades says kindly, "Hunter try and listen to Sookie and your father" he says.

I watch as Hunter listens "Hey it's gone, I can't do it, I'm normal!" he says he listens again. "Nothing" he says.

The door opens and Eric enters, "Hello Uncle Eric I'm normal" Hunter says and then claps his hand over his mouth as he remembers my warning about not telling vampires about his gift.

"Mr Cataliades removed his telepathy" I explain. Eric beams at Hunter, and he really does look very happy about it.

"We'd better double check, can you hear me?" he asks Hunter with a grin.

Hunter shakes his head, "No, I could never hear you because you are a vampire, you were just a hole of nothing, but even the hole of nothing isn't there now, everyone is the same" he says.

"Well it's good to know that I'm not a hole" Eric says and then he turns to Remy, "the hospital records now show you were discharged earlier and you left with your son" he says. He pauses, "Unfortunately, Erin didn't make it, she left it too long to get treated and her injuries were more serious than first thought" he stops and glances at Hunter.

Remy looks heartbroken, and pulls Hunter into his arms. I realise this was probably the price we paid for bringing Remy back.

"It's just you and me again son" Remy says sadly.

"You are welcome to stay the night and head home tomorrow" Eric says and I could kiss him for saying that and for everything he has done.

Remy stands up. "Thank you Eric that's mighty kind of you, I think I'll take you up on that" he says.

Hunter goes back to sleep and Remy comes downstairs with Eric and I. He is looking at Mr Cataliades.

"I don't mean to be rude after everything you have done for us, but could someone explain it all to me?" he asks.

"Sit down" Eric says gesturing to the sofa. Remy sits and looks around. I fetch some drinks and I warm a bottle of blood for Eric and as I place it in front of him I press a kiss to his head.

Remy looks at us all expectantly and I sigh, "It's a long and complicated story" I say.

Remy shrugs, "I have the time" he says.

"Well, it starts with my and Hadley's gran Adele Stackhouse, she was married to Mitchell Stackhouse and she loved him dearly, but she was unable to have children with him, one day she met Fintan Brigant. Fintan Brigant was a fairy and he offered to give Adele her greatest wish, children. So she slept with him, she was a good Christian woman and devoted to her husband she didn't make a habit of cheating on him, but she said he – Fintan that is, bewitched her which I totally believe, and she had Corbett, who was my dad and my Aunt Linda who was Hadley's mom" I pause and Remy nods.

"When my gran was pregnant with my dad, Fintan showed up and brought Mr Cataliades with him, he was his good friend and he gave my gran a drink and told her that it would protect her and the baby and that any of Fintan's line who possessed the essential spark would have a special gift which would help them in their life and protect them. My dad, Aunt, my brother Jason and Hadley did not have the essential spark, but I did and so does Hunter which means the gift Mr Cataliades bestowed was activated" I stop speaking and Remy nods with understanding.

"The telepathy" he says.

I nod, and think carefully about what to say next as I don't want to offend Mr Cataliades, "He thought he was doing the right thing, he thought it would protect us if we could hear what our enemy was thinking, but he failed to take into account human nature and the difficulties having such a gift in the human world could pose. Anyway, before Fintan died he gave my gran a Fae love charm, it was supposed to grant the users' greatest wish, gran didn't use it as she already had her greatest wish which was her children and she passed it on to me. I used it to bring you back when you died, as I didn't want Hunter to lose you as well as his mom" I say.

"How do the vampires come into it?" Remy asks looking at Eric.

I smile, "there are many, many different supernatural beings in the world who live alongside us, some in secret and some publicly, the vampires and Weres have come out and announced their presence within the world, but there are many others who still live in secret, there is the Fae which includes, fairies, elves, sprites, goblins, gnomes and leprechauns but they haven't become public and probably never will, they were here living amongst us till very recently but they have now returned to their own realm known as the Faery.

Then there are witches, who are humans with supernatural powers and then there are other creatures who even I am not sure of, I got attacked a while ago by a Maenad and I have no idea what that was except she nearly killed me" I stop and then turn to Eric.

"How I personally got involved with vampires is down to Hadley, as you know after she left you she became the companion of the vampire queen Sophie Ann, well Hadley told her all about me and my gift and as we told you previously, vampires like to possess things with gifts which could be useful to them, so after she heard about me from Hadley she decided she wanted me so she sent a vampire, his name is Bill, to befriend me and I fell for it and fell in love with him, he claims that he fell in love with me as well. But we parted when I discovered his betrayal, it was through Bill that I met Eric and well the rest is history" I say. I reach for my husbands hand and he catches it and raises it to his lips and kisses it.

Remy turns to Mr Cataliades, "So you are some kind of supernatural ...being?" he asks warily.

Mr Cataliades nods, "I am, I am a demon" he says.

"A demon?!" Remy splutters.

"It sounds worse than what it is, we have been unfairly linked to black magic and Satan over the years, whereas in reality most of us are quite humane" Mr Cataliades says kindly.

"He is like my godfather, he promised Fintan that he would watch over me" I say.

"And it was you who gave my son the telepathy?" he asks.

Mr Cataliades nods, "As Sookie said, I was unaware of the consequences of my actions, I truly believed I was doing the right thing, and it was done in good faith, to give Fintan's line advantages and therefore protection, but Sookie has suffered from her gift which was my fault as I wasn't around to give her the guidance she needed and I didn't wish for Hunter to also suffer which is why I have removed it" he says.

"Can you take it away from Sookie?" Eric asks suddenly and I whip my head around to him and I stare at him in shock.

Mr Cataliades shakes his head sadly, "Alas I cannot, Sookie is now an adult to remove such a gift from an adult would cause lasting damage and could possibly be fatal, it can only be removed from children up to a certain age, Hunter is very young and the telepathy has not had the time to take root and become a part of him" Mr Cataliades explains.

I remember how Hunter explained how it tickled when I tried to listen to him, and yet I could feel nothing, when he listened to me.

"What is this essential spark thing Hunter has?" Remy asks.

I shrug, "I have no idea I was just told I had it" I say.

Mr Cataliades leans forward, "It is a Fae term to describe a human with Fae ancestry who, to put it in layman's terms leans more towards the supernatural world than the human world, they may manifest gifts of their supernatural heritage, they may see supernatural creatures in their true forms and not the human facade they display, they are sensitive to the supernatural world and other supernatural creatures will be drawn to them as kin" he explains.

Remy nods, "so this spark thing won't harm him?" he asks.

Mr Cataliades shakes his head, "No it won't" he says kindly.

"It's all a lot to take in" Remy says eventually.

"Well hopefully now things will be easier for you and Hunter" I say. I am a little sad as I realise that Remy has no reason to keep me in Hunter's life as I have no role to play.

"I want to thank you Sookie, you are a good person, that thing you used on me, you could have used it for anything to make your life happier but instead you used it to make Hunters life happier, I will never forget that, and even though he doesn't need your help any more, you will always be a part of his life,"

Then he turns to Eric, "and I'm real sorry about the way I treated you, I had these preconceived ideas about vampires and I kind of thought you were all the same, but I guess you are like humans, there are good ones and bad ones and you are one of the good ones" he says.

Eric nods but says nothing. I squeeze his hand, "He's not one of the good ones, he is one of the best" I say.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I am in the kitchen making some coffee when Remy appears.

"Good morning, would you like some breakfast?" I ask.

Remy nods "Thank you that would be lovely" he says and he takes a seat at the table.

"Isn't it hard being married to a vamp, I mean you spend the whole day alone?" Remy asks suddenly.

I pause and think, "No not really, human couples spend time apart in the daytime, when they do their separate jobs, we just make the most of the time we have" I say.

"Is he...like...dead in the daytime?" Remy asks.

I nod, "technically speaking he is, but because Eric is so old, he can rise sooner than younger vampires, for example if it is overcast and stormy he can get up before the sun sets and under dire circumstances he can wake up during the daytime" I say.

"Dire circumstances?" Remy asks.

I nod, "A while ago we were in Rhodes for a vampire summit and someone planted a bomb at the hotel we were in, I managed to wake Eric up and get him and Pam out of there before the hotel exploded. I was able to wake him because we are bonded and he could sense the danger and the fear I was feeling through the bond, but Pam wouldn't wake up" I say.

"But don't they burn in the daytime?" Remy asks.

I nod, "only if they come into contact with direct sunlight" I say.

"It's a strange world" Remy says eventually.

"Only if you know the true extent of it" I say.

While we are eating, Hunter appears and grins at me, he seems so much happier now he is 'normal' I notice that the tightness he had around his eyes has gone, he is more relaxed and that is how it should be.

"Good morning Hunter, what would you like for breakfast?" I ask.

"I'd like some Scrambled Eggs please" he says and clambers up on to a seat next to his father.

As I am cooking Hunter speaks again. "Are you mad at me because I didn't want to hear people?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No of course not Hunter, I just want you to be happy, and I can remember how miserable I was when I was little, so in a way I am happy for you not to have to go through that" I say.

"I don't have to keep anything secret anymore" he says.

Remy looks at me and then turns to Hunter, "What do you mean?" he asks.

Hunter puts his head down, "I heard gran think a lot of bad things which I didn't want to tell you because it would upset you" he says.

"What did she think Hunter?" Remy asks.

"She thought that mom was whore and you were better off without her, she thought that I was a freak and I should have been drowned at birth, and she doesn't love grandpa because she is in love with another man and sees him behind grandpa's back, I told her that I knew about it and she got real mad with me" he stops and looks up at Remy with tears in his eyes.

"Gran is a bad lady, there are people I have heard the thoughts of who think good things and bad things, then there are people like Aunty Sookie and you who think more good things but gran never thought good things she always was thinking something bad, she was always thinking bad things about other people" he says.

Remy swallows hard and pulls Hunter close, "And you kept this all to yourself" he says.

Hunter nods, "Aunty Sookie said I shouldn't listen to people, but some people it was hard to shut them out, it was like they were shouting at me with their minds, so I'm glad its gone" he says.

"Well thank you for telling me and we won't have anything to do with gran any more ok?" he says.

Hunter smiles widely, "But will I still see Aunty Sookie and Uncle Eric?" he asks.

"Of course we will, they are our family" Remy says and glances at me with a grin as he says this.

"I'll have to take you to Bon Temps and introduce you both to my brother Jason, as he is your family as well" I say.

"I'd like that, I'd love to meet all the family Hunter and I have" he says.

As we are clearing up Mr Cataliades arrives once more. He greets us all warmly and ruffles Hunters hair.

"Sookie I need to talk to you about the situation with Felipe and Victor" he says evasively.

Remy gets the hint that this is a confidential conversation and takes Hunter away so I can speak in private.

"What's happened now?" I ask.

"The date for the summit has been brought forward due to the nature of the charges against Felipe, it will beheld in conjunction with the Zeus summit in Texas – in Dallas and it has been decided that you will be giving evidence, after it came to the attention of Sandy that you cannot be glamoured and with the added information of your Fae heritage they are confident that your word can be trusted, even over their own" he says.

I nod, "But I can lie, and have done" I say.

"Vampires lie Sookie it is not an offence punishable by death, but all I am saying is your word will be trusted more" he says.

I nod, "I don't mind giving evidence, but I just want to make it clear I didn't tell them I couldn't lie, I just said I was part Fae and they told me that Fae couldn't be glamoured and that Fae couldn't lie and I didn't put them right that I could, I told just told them that what they said was correct, because they didn't mention me specifically" I say.

Mr Cataliades smiles, "You have really been with vampires too much, you have a devious mind" he says.

I shrug, "You have to be devious to keep one step ahead of them" I say.

"Even your husband?" he asks.

I think about that and shake my head, "No we are a team" I say confidently.

"That is obvious for all to see" Mr Cataliades replies kindly.

"Will you be giving evidence?" I ask.

Mr Cataliades nods, "I will, I was witness to what happened at the meeting with Felipe and Freyda" he says.

"I'll let Eric know tonight when he rises" I say.

Mr Cataliades nods once more then glances towards the other room, "How are your guests?" he asks.

"They seem to be ok, its all a bit overwhelming for them, especially Remy he is just a regular guy and now he knows about this whole other world that his son is part of, but Hunter is really happy that the telepathy has gone" I say.

Mr Cataliades looks sad again and I feel bad, "I'm sorry" I say.

"No my dear, I made a grave mistake by giving the gift I gave to Adele, I failed foresee the ramifications of my actions, you were damaged as a child, made to think you were subnormal and it has dragged you into a world where you are constantly fighting against being used for your gift" he says.

I shake my head and touch his arm, "If I didn't have this gift, I wouldn't have ever met Eric and I wouldn't have fallen in love with him and been happy with him and I am planning on using this gift as a way of making a living for myself" I say.

"No but your life would arguably been much safer and you could have found happiness elsewhere" he says.

I shake my head, "My life would have been far more boring as well, I won't lie things have been a little too erm...interesting recently, but apart from the being tortured and constantly looking over my shoulder for someone attacking me I am still happy with my life" I say.

"Because of the Viking" Mr Cataliades says.

I smile "You'd better believe it!" I say.


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

I keep my word and take Remy and Hunter to Bon Temps to meet Jason, it is a pleasant afternoon and I called Jason to say I was dropping by.

When I arrive at Jason's place I see him in the garden with a beer and he looks up and grins.

"Hey sis" he says and stands up; he looks at Remy and Hunter.

"Jace this is Hunter and his dad Remy" I say.

Jason thrusts his hand forward to greet Remy and then he ruffles Hunters hair.

"Remy was married to Hadley and Hadley was Hunter's mom" I say. I watch as surprise crosses Jason's face.

"Well then, welcome to my home cousin" he says, He turns his head and shouts "HEY MICHELLE COME OUT HERE AND MEET SOME FOLKS!"

Moments later and Michelle appears she beams at me and looks at Remy and Hunter.

"Hi y'all" she says.

Jason wraps his arm around Michelle, "Honey, this is my cousin Hunter and his dad Remy, guys this is my girlfriend Michelle" he says.

"Pleased to meet you," Remy says politely.

Michelle beams at him and offers him a beer, which he accepts, she turns to Hunter and asks if he would like a drink and he nods his head shyly.

"Well if your dad says it's ok why don't you come with me and we will see what you would like?" she says holding out her hand to Hunter, he looks at his dad questioningly and Remy nods.

"Remember your manners son," he says.

"I will" Hunter calls as he walks away with Michelle.

"He'll be fine," Jason says.

As we are talking a truck pulls up at Jason's gate and Jason is immediately on alert. I look and recognise the beat up truck belonging to Calvin Norris, Jason's pack master and former relative from when Jason was married briefly married to Calvin's niece Crystal.

"Calvin this is a surprise" Jason says politely.

"Jason you are needed over at Hotshot" Calvin says grimly.

"Ok" Jason says.

Calvin turns his attention to me "Sookie, its good to see you again, I heard you married the vampire sheriff...congratulations" he says.

I nod, Calvin had kind of shown an interest in me previously but I only looked upon him as a good friend.

"Thank you Calvin I appreciate that" I say kindly and sincerely as I have a lot of respect for Calvin Norris.

I see Calvin look at Remy and I am about to say something when Michelle appears with a beer for Remy with Hunter at her side clutching a glass of soda. Michelle smiles at Calvin and offers him a beer which he politely refuses.

"Calvin, this is Remy he was married to my cousin Hadley and this is their son Hunter" I say, I turn to Remy, "This is Calvin he is Jason's friend from Hotshot" I say vaguely.

Calvin stares at Hunter for a moment and then offers his hand to Remy in greeting. I stare at the slightly bent finger on his hand a legacy of where I had to smash his hand with a brick when Crystal cheated on Jason. Calvin sees me looking and smiles at me.

"Its fine Sookie, it healed" he says.

I nod, but I still feel bad about that whole thing.

Remy watches the exchange and I see realisation that perhaps there is more to this man than meets the eye.

Calvin crouches down and smiles at Hunter, "hello young man" he says to him.

"Hello sir" Hunter says nervously.

"So you are Sookie and Jason's cousin are you?" he asks.

Hunter nods nervously, "Well I'm really happy to meet you, I'm Calvin" Calvin says, he stands and turns to Jason, "Ready?" he asks and Jason nods.

"I apologise for intruding and dragging Jason away but we have business we need to attend to in Hotshot" he says.

"That's fine" I say and we watch in silence as Calvin and Jason disappear.

Michelle invites us inside and we follow her in and spend a pleasant time with her. She makes us some lunch and I feel at home here and I know Remy and Hunter do, I take a quick look in their heads and they are both thinking positive thoughts about Jason and Michelle. A while later Jason returns and I can tell from his demeanour that it was some internal pack dispute and I shouldn't ask or interfere, I could look in his head and find out for myself but that would be rude so I keep my mind firmly shut.

"Hey you guys are still here, sorry I had to rush off" Jason says with a grin.

I glance at my watch, "We need to get going soon, I need to get back before Eric rises" I say.

On the journey back I can tell Remy is thinking about Calvin and I wait for him to voice the question.

"Sookie that guy Calvin who showed up" he begins.

"Yes" I say.

"Is he...I mean...is he some kind of ..." he trails off.

"You are asking if he is a Supe." I say.

"A Supe?" Remy repeats.

"Yes as in supernatural being" I say.

Remy nods, "Yes he is" I confirm.

"Oh" Remy says.

"Calvin Norris is the pack leader of a pack of Were Panthers who live out at Hotshot" I say.

"Panthers?" he says his eyes widening at that piece of information.

"Yes, he's a good man, honest and straight" I say.

"I got that much from him" Remy says.

"So why was he asking your brother to go with him?" he asks.

I glance at him carefully, "Jason was bitten by a Were Panther from the pack who was jealous of him and he became one of them" I say.

"Oh my god so he turns into a panther?" Remy asks.

I shake my head, "Not a true panther, he comes a half man half animal hybrid, because he was made not born and he can only change on the full moon, true Weres that were born not made can change at will" I say.

Silence spreads out between us after this revelation. As we reach the house I see Mr Cataliades waiting, and I wonder what the problem is.

"Sookie my dear" he says warmly and then he turns to Remy, "Are you ready to leave?" he asks and it dawns on me that he is here to take Remy and Hunter home.

"Oh, so you're going then?" I ask I was kind of hoping they'd be staying a bit longer.

Remy nods, "Yes, we don't want to outstay our welcome. I really want to thank you and your husband for everything you did for us. I will never be able to repay you, I'm just sorry I won't get to say goodbye to your husband" he says.

I glance at the sky and feel movement through the bond, "If you hang on a just few moments more, you will be able to tell him yourself, as he is rising now" I say and turn and run inside to find him.

"Eric!" I call as I head towards our room.

"Sookie" he says as he meets me. I kiss him quickly.

"Hi, I know you have only just risen and you must be hungry but Remy and Hunter are leaving and they want to say goodbye to you before they go" I say.

Eric nods and walks outside with me.

"Uncle Eric!" Hunter calls and runs to Eric to hug him.

"Hunter no, vampires don't like to be touched" Remy calls and Hunter skids to a halt right in front of Eric.

Eric, to his credit, keeps his aversion in check and crouches down to Hunter. "Goodbye Hunter" he says.

Hunter smiles "Goodbye Uncle Eric, I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't like being hugged" he says.

Eric nods, "Then it is a good thing that you now do, and you should know something else as well, not all vampires are as friendly and tolerant as I am or as Heidi was, I promised you that I would not hurt you and I have kept my promise and will continue to do so because I have honour and I would not disrespect my wife or her human family, but there are many vampires out there who would not be friendly and who would not hesitate to hurt you, and then there are those who will say that they will not hurt you but then do so, so you need to be wary of us and keep your distance, we are vampires _not_ humans, do you understand?" he says.

Hunter nods, "Ok, I understand" he says and he runs to me and hugs me before returning to his father, who watches the exchange closely.

Remy walks up to Eric and nods, "Thank you for everything Eric" he says.

Eric returns the nod, "You are welcome, you are my wife's family" he says.

"I'd best get going, Mr Cataliades has offered to drive us home" he says.

"Have a safe journey" I say and I slip my hand into Eric's.

As we watch them go I look up at Eric, "Thank you" I say.

"For what?" he says.

"Not glamouring them into forgetting where we live" I say.

Eric's mouth twitches, "the boy is Fae he cannot be glamoured, so there was no point, so Cataliades is going to wipe their memory of details about our home and how to get to it when they get back" he says. With that he turns and walks inside pulling me with him.

As soon as we are in private, Eric pounces and drinks from me, which inevitably leads to other things and even more other things. It is after about my fifth orgasm that I remember what Mr Cataliades told me this morning.

"Oh, I meant to tell you, the summit date has been brought forward and they want me to testify at it as they think my word can be trusted, in light of my Fae heritage and the fact I can't be glamoured" I say.

"I see, has a venue been decided upon?" he asks.

I nod, "yes, Dallas, it's being held at the same time as the Zeus summit" I say and Eric smiles.

"Good, we will be amongst friends," he says.

"I didn't go to Fangtasia today," I say.

Eric shrugs, "You were entertaining your guests, I didn't expect you to, and what did you do with your visitors?" he asks.

"We drove over to Bon Temps and I introduced Remy and Hunter to Jason and Michelle" I say.

Eric nods but doesn't say anything.

"Calvin turned up while we were there and he said Jason was needed in Hotshot for something, he came back a short while later but I have no idea what was going on" I say.

Eric looks disinterested at this news, "the business of the panthers does not concern me" he says.

"I know it doesn't, I was just making conversation and telling you what happened," I say a little sharply. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to sound as sharp as it did" I add.

Eric pulls me close, "But on the on the other hand you do concern me my wife" he says and starts kissing and nuzzling my neck. I can't believe that he is ready to go again but I'm not going to complain either.

When we finally get a hold of our self control, we get dressed and Eric wants to go to Fangtasia to see if there has been any news or developments since Victor's demise.

As we approach, we see that the car park is full and I am surprised. We had suffered from the opening of the Vampire Kiss club, not to the same extent as Sam had suffered with Vic's Redneck Roadhouse but it is still a joy to see so many cars here.

We walk inside and Pam greets us she is excited about something and we all head to Eric's office so she can tell us.

"Vampire Kiss has been shut down, Sandy sent in a team to investigate Victor's businesses on the event of his death and irregularities were found both the Vampire Kiss and the Roadhouse have been closed down, just like that" she says.

"Irregularities?" Eric asks.

Pam grins, "It seems Victor wasn't paying his dues to Felipe as much as he should've been."

I pull out my phone and text Sam, _**Vic's Redneck Roadhouse has been shut down**_ I hit send and moments later I get Sam's response.

_**That accounts for why we are so busy tonight, thanks for telling me**_ I smile at the response and push the phone back into my pocket.

"Sam is reaping the rewards, he has just told me they are really busy tonight at Merlotte's" I say.

Eric doesn't react to this news as it doesn't really interest him, that is something which momentarily does bug me a bit, but then realise that is just his nature, and it is the nature of all vampires, if it doesn't directly impact on him or affect him then it is irrelevant and he dismisses it, but because Eric loves me he tries to maintain a certain level of interest in things which under normal circumstances wouldn't concern him..

"So, Sandy has representatives here in Louisiana?" Eric asks.

Pam nods, "They came here asking questions about Victor's death, I kept to the story and they seemed happy with what I told them," she says.

"Good" Eric replies, "Do we have any idea who will be taking over as regent?" he asks.

Pam shakes her head, "No" she says.

As she says this there is a knock at the door, I automatically listen and am not surprised to sense a vampire.

"One vampire," I say automatically.

Eric walks to the door and opens it, standing there is a female vampire, I vaguely recognise her but I'm not sure who she is until Eric speaks and gives me the answer.

"Sandy, welcome back to Louisiana and to Fangtasia again, it is an honour to have you here" he says bowing significantly before he steps aside and sweeps his hand to welcome her in.

She steps in and looks at me, "Mrs Northman" she says.

"Hello" I say lamely.

Sandy nods and turns to face Eric, "I'll be brief, the Amun summit has been brought forward, it has been decided to hold it in conjunction with the Zeus summit in Dallas in two weeks time, I am under no illusions that Felipe will be dealt with harshly, he has behaved stupidly and the evidence against him is overwhelming, and so I was hoping we could come to some...arrangement."

I watch her carefully, Eric moves into the room and sits himself on the edge of his desk and folds his arms. "What are you proposing?" he asks.

She takes a shot look at Pam and then at me. "You can speak in front of my wife and my child" Eric says curtly.

Sandy looks sceptical, but Pam speaks, "I can be ordered not to repeat anything I hear and Sookie...well she just wouldn't, plus she and Eric are so tightly bonded that he would know if she talked," she says.

I didn't know that but it makes me speak out, "Not that I would betray my husband" I say earnestly.

Sandy seems satisfied and opens her mouth to speak.

"Felipe has lost his mind, he invaded Louisiana to claim the riches from the Compton database and to claim Sophie Ann's other assets," she glances at me and I am desperate to say that I am not an asset but I keep my mouth shut. Felipe was impressed by Mrs Northman when she saved his life and made the Oath of Protection to secure her so that if she were in any mortal danger she would not be harmed."

"Keep me safe for him to use," I say, unable to keep my mouth shut any longer.

"Exactly" Sandy says.

"So it had nothing to do with the fact I saved him, it was a self serving gesture to keep me available" I say bitterly.

Sandy realises what she says next will probably have a huge bearing on how much I cooperate with her. "He was grateful to you for what you did" she says carefully.

"Whoopty doo" I say sarcastically.

Sandy glances at Eric in confusion, "My wife feels a little used" he explains, trying to suppress a smirk threatening to fill his face.

"Humans" Sandy says derisively.

"Yeah well, he didn't think through his gesture did he, because it's got him in a whole heap of trouble since he failed to follow it" I snap.

"Felipe has made some unfortunate decisions" Sandy acknowledges.

I snort, "Lost his damn mind more like" I say.

I watch and see Sandy smile at me, I glance at Eric but he is doing nothing, I am getting nothing from him either, so I can't work out if I am going too far or not.

"Look why don't you just cut to the chase, what do you want?" I say after a moment.

Sandy smiles again, "Your wife is very forthright Sheriff" she says and Eric smiles.

"Oh yes indeed she is" he says proudly.

Sandy thinks a moment and seems to come to a decision and starts to speak, "I have reason to believe that should Felipe be found guilty of the charges against him, Louisiana will be taken from him as punishment for what he has done, it never sat well with any of the monarchs when a king from another ruling clan went outside the kingdom borders, our clan was as troubled by his actions as yours and there have been discussions between monarchs regarding this" she says.

"You mean because we are Amun clan and Nevada isn't?" I ask and Eric looks proudly at me.

Sandy looks slightly taken aback by my question, "That is correct, you appear to be well versed in vampire law and constitution" Sandy says.

"Eric taught me" I say.

"Excellent work Sheriff" she says to Eric and he nods. "Well what I am proposing is, if Louisiana is taken from Felipe and he is banished back to Nevada this will leave Louisiana without a monarch, so I..."

"You want the position as Louisiana Queen and you want us to vouch for you" I say interrupting her.

Sandy beams at me, "Your wife is incredibly intelligent Sheriff" she says.

"Yeah, stop blowing smoke up my ass, I know what you want, you want exactly what Felipe wanted you want to own me, and you think if you get us on side and we vouch for you we can come to some understanding where I work for you" I say.

"I couldn't have put it better myself Mrs Northman" Sandy says she is smiling widely now.

"Well there is a kind of issue with that, you see, I don't like being treated like an asset or property, that has pissed me off big time on several occasions, like the time when Andre tried to get me to bond with him, it pissed me off when Felipe treated me like a possession and I even get pissed at my husband when he talks about me as an asset – when he explains how things are and how vampires see things, don't I honey?" I say.

Eric nods, "she does" he agrees nodding solemnly at Sandy.

Sandy looks shocked and a little angry and goes to speak but before she can open her mouth I continue to speak.

"So there no misunderstanding, or confusion on this matter I am going to say this once and I hope you take notice and remember what I am going to say, because it is real important to me, I am neither an asset or a possession, I am not a commodity which can be used by you or anyone else, I am a human being with my own thoughts and I make my own decisions and I decide what I do and when I do it. I am working on something at the moment, a business proposition where I would become a freelance telepath where vampire monarchs and other prominent vampires and Supes can hire my services for a fee, I would get them to sign a contract and I would perform the tasks they ask and then come home, I would be the one in control, I would be the one to say yes or no to a job" I say.

I see Sandy thinking about this, and she turns to Eric, "A little risky don't you think sheriff you would be willing to allow your wife to travel the country, I cannot speak for any other supernatural beings but vampires who covet her would not think twice about abducting her regardless of any contract?" she says.

"Which is why I would accompany my wife, we have been discussing this idea at some length" Eric says.

This takes Sandy back somewhat, "But what about your position and commitments as sheriff?" she asks.

Eric shrugs, "I would resign" he says.

This clearly throws Sandy and she is silent for several minutes. I decide to put forward the plan we had hoped to offer to Felipe before he went crazy on us.

"Well we were going to put this to Felipe, but then he ...lost his mind, but if you want to be Queen of Louisiana it appears that we could come to a mutual agreement" I say.

Sandy raises her eyebrows and smiles, "enlighten me Mrs Northman" she says, and she folds her arms and listens carefully.

"Well, as I said, I would be freelance, I would have the final say where and when I go, but obviously for my home state vampire monarch there may be some leeway out of respect for my husband, I could be persuaded to reconsider if I wasn't planning on doing a job at that point in time, there are other points to consider, I would for example, be willing to give you priority, first dibs as it were, so if you needed me at the same time as another monarch you would automatically become the priority, and you would of course receive a modest cut of what I earn" I say.

Sandy's eyes widen at this offer, "So you would remain independent of me but I would have the confidence to know that should I need your services, my request would be treated as a higher priority than say another monarch or supernatural being?" she says.

"Exactly" I say, "But you should also know that I am a friend of the pack to the Longtooth Were pack here in Shreveport and I always reserve the right to say no, even to you" add.

She smiles "You drive a hard bargain but I accept, I assume this agreement we have made will all be put into a contract" she says.

I nod, "It will, but it is academic at the moment until after the summit which is when I was planning to talk to my lawyer and discuss this further, as you can appreciate this will be a huge change for both of us, I will be in full time employment and Eric will be resigning a post which he has held for some time, I think you will appreciate we both want to be totally sure before we commit ourselves to anything, all these plans are in the early stages, and as yet we are nowhere near at the contract stage" I say.

"Of course, I totally understand" Sandy says, "also while I am here I am delighted to let you know that I am satisfied that you all acted within reason and accordingly with the unfortunate situation with Victor and his retinue" she says.

"Well he did try and abduct me and he insulted my husband, when he had planned a lovely evening of entertainment for him" I say.

"Indeed" Sandy says. "Thank you for your time sheriff, I have to say I can now see the appeal, I have heard much of your wife and her reputation and I have to say I was sceptical and thought those stories were greatly exaggerated, but now having met her myself I can see the appeal and I have no doubt that everything I have heard about her is accurate" she says.

Sandy nods at Eric and he bows to her, then she turns to me and to my great surprise she holds out her hand to me for me to shake.

"Mrs Northman it has been surprising, but also a great pleasure to meet you" she says.

"Thank you, it's been a pleasure meeting you as well" I say politely accepting the handshake.

Sandy Sechrest says her goodbyes and leaves. I wait a while then turn towards Eric.

"Well?" I ask.

Eric looks at me blankly, "Well what?" he asks.

"Well can we believe her? I won't say can we trust her as you have told me repeatedly to trust no-one but can we believe at least a bit of what she says?" I say.

Eric nods, "She was very persuasive, and she appeared to be sincere when she said that you impressed her, I got that much, you surprised her and impressed her" he says.

I nod "ok" I say.

"Sookie is something the matter?" Eric asks.

I nod, "I didn't really like her, something felt...I don't know...off, she gave in too quickly, I think she is planning something, she was just too agreeable" I say, "Also if she sent a team to investigate, why come here herself as well?" I ask.

Eric considers this, "That I can answer, that is a normal tactic of a ruling vampire, send a team in get the facts and then turn up personally to shake things up a bit to see if there are any discrepancies especially with something as important as the assassination of a monarch or in this case a regent. But I do take on board your other points, and it is possible that she is planning something, but she is like me, she is a pragmatic vampire, she sees the bigger picture" he says, "it is a great shame that you cannot read us sometimes" he adds almost to himself.

I think about that, "So you think that she thinks she can live with my terms because she will get favoured and an income should she become Queen" I say.

Eric nods, "Exactly, plus she needs my support as sheriff, should she apply for the position of monarch if I don't support her and offer her fealty it will be doubtful that the other sheriffs will accept her either, also she can see the value in keeping you on side, after all as she said your reputation precedes you, and now that you have the added notoriety of ending Akiro as well as your impressive kill list she sees no reason to antagonise you" he says.

"But I didn't..." I begin.

"No but she doesn't know that does she" Eric says.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

After Sandy has left I get sudden worrying thoughts, why did Sandy shake hands with me? Vampires don't shake hands, why did she do that. I remember the day person and how much she seemed to know about fairies. I am starting to have very bad thoughts about this, I go to the bathroom and wash my hands, it's irrational but all sorts of thoughts are suddenly going through my mind.

"Sookie, what's wrong?" Eric asks as he appears beside me.

"She shook my hand" I say and Eric smiles.

"Yes" he says.

"Vampires don't shake hands" I say.

"Sookie calm down, she was impressed by you, she was trying to fit in with your human rituals, some vampires are like that, if they have to deal with humans regularly they don't find shaking hands quite so repulsive" he explains.

I nod as I remember the vampires at Portia's wedding and how they shook hands. I relax a little, but I can't get the thoughts of the day person from my mind. I reach for my phone and make a call.

"Mr Cataliades how are you?" I say brightly as he answers.

"Sookie what can I do for you?" he asks.

"Have you heard of a woman called Yvonne Garrity?" I ask.

There is a long silence for a moment then he speaks again, "She is a day person for Sandy Sechrest" he says.

"I know that, I spoke to her but she seemed to know an awful lot about the Fae is she anything special?" I ask.

"She is human, totally human, but she has studied the supernatural world for years, she is well versed in most communities and their rituals and characteristics" he says. "Why are you asking?" he says.

I quickly run through my totally irrational sounding theories and Mr Cataliades listens.

"Sookie, listen to me, you are being irrational and possibly a little bit paranoid, Sandy Sechrest deals with humans all the time, she has learnt that to blend in with humans, a certain etiquette is required and in her position she realised shaking hands was a small price to pay."

"That's pretty much what Eric said" I say feeling a little silly and also a little bit ashamed. "I'm sorry" I say.

"No not at all Sookie, it is good to be suspicious," Mr Cataliades says kindly.

I end the call and look at Eric who is giving me an 'I told you so' look.

"I know" I snap.

Eric pulls me into his arms and I rest my head against his chest, "How come if vampires are so averse to human contact that you can't keep your hands off me?" I ask.

Eric laughs, "Because I love you" he says simply.

"I love you too" I say and we head back into Eric's office.

I feel ashamed that I didn't trust Eric's instincts on this and thoughts start circulating in my head, we hardly really know each other, and despite everything I doubted his word again, how the hell are we going to be that strong unbreakable unit if I don't know enough about my husband to know when he is instinctively right about something, I need to know him I need to know everything, I suddenly feel the need to talk to Eric alone, I don't want any of the others overhearing me as what I want to talk about is really personal and if Eric starts to open up and someone overhears him he could be viewed as weak and I don't want that to happen.

"So, you have anything specific to do?" I ask casually.

Eric looks through the papers on his desk, "Nothing that cannot be left" he says.

I pause and think carefully how to word what I am about to say, "Will you take me home then please?" I ask.

Eric's head whips up and he looks closely at me, "Do you feel unwell, or are you still worrying about earlier?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, I just want to talk to you, in private, I have a few things in my head and I want to get them out and here isn't the place to do that" I say.

Eric walks towards me and stops in front of me but doesn't touch me. "What do you want to talk about?" he asks.

I reach up and touch his face, "You" I say.

He looks surprised, "very well" he says but I can tell by the way he says it and the odd feelings I am getting through the bond that he isn't altogether on board with this idea.

He grabs my hand and we walk out into the bar area, Pam comes to us.

"We are going home," Eric says flatly.

Pam nods and she grins at me, "I'll shut the bond" she says.

I nod, "If you would please" I say, I don't say any more and I know Pam thinks we are going home to have sex and I am happy to let her believe that.

We leave and as soon as we are in the car and on the drive home Eric turns to me, "Tell me what do you want to talk about, what interests you so much?" he asks.

"You" I say.

Eric laughs, "I would hope so, I am your husband" he says.

"And yet really I know hardly anything about you" I say.

Eric looks surprised, "What do you want to know?" he asks.

"Everything" I say.

"Start with something Sookie" he says sharply.

I pause and word my request carefully, "I love you Eric, I want to know what makes you tick, as I believe it will make us stronger, if I know what things are likely to rile you, upset you or concern you, and to know that, I need to know about you and your past and the things you have seen and experienced over the years" I say.

Eric doesn't say a word but carries on driving, as we pull in the driveway he turns the engine off and turns to look at me.

"Do you want to know about my human life or from when I was made a vampire?" he asks.

"Both" I say, "But more from when you became a vampire as you have told me stuff about your human life already which has given me quite a bit of an insight to you, but I do have a number of questions" I say.

"Do you now" Eric says.

I nod.

"And tell me what do I get in return for giving you all this information about me?" he asks.

I smile at him sweetly, "Whatever you want honey" I say seductively and immediately his fangs extend and I see him adjust the front of his jeans so I know his one track mind has once more ventured into the gutter.

We head inside and take a shower together as I want to get him nice and relaxed before I start questioning him.

We lay on the bed naked in each others arms and Eric traces his finger over my stomach, he looks pensive.

"What's wrong, don't you want to talk to me?" I ask.

"No" he says and my heart sinks.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because it will make me weak to do so" he says.

I shake my head, "No it won't, it will make you stronger, listen to me, I believe you carry around a hell of a lot of baggage, anyone who has lived as long as you have, who was ripped away from their family and forced into becoming a vampire, leaving their children and everything they were familiar with, it has to have left some mark on you, I want to know how it has shaped you so I know you better" I say.

Eric glares at me, "No Sookie, I am not a prize specimen to be probed and dissected. You know enough" he says and climbs off the bed.

I watch him and it hits me he is scared to relive that period of his life, he has always skirted around Ocella and how he was treated by him. He doesn't want to make himself appear vulnerable, he is scared to talk about it and relive it.

I nod and reach for him, "Ok, I'm sorry, forget I asked" I say quietly, but I am more than a little disappointed but I'm not going to force him to confront the ghosts of his past.

He hesitantly joins me on the bed and wraps his arms around me, "Sookie I am not human, you seem to forget that sometimes, because you love me and it is partly my fault because I have displayed certain humanlike emotions around you, you forget that I am a vampire, we are different, we don't talk about our emotions, because generally speaking we don't have them, we have no soul or humanity, generally speaking I am an anomaly although there are others but as a whole vampires...we do not fall in love and yet I have been experiencing more human ..." he waves his hand as though he is trying to find the right word "feelings since I have been with you and it is...unnerving and I don't want to talk about it" he says, "You cannot ask me to discuss such things, if anyone else were to get the information I would be seen as weak" he says.

I roll over and wrap my arms around him, and with that one sentence I realise for the first time how much he is conflicted and how much I have turned his world upside down.

"Ok I get it, I really do, even more so now you have explained it to me I didn't realise that, I just thought it would bring us closer, like when you told me about how that situation with Hunter made you remember your kids from when you were human, but I won't force you into telling me anything but remember one thing, what you do tell me won't go any further, ever" I say.

I am shocked when he pulls away. "Enough!" he snaps and I take a sharp breath in, he is really antsy about this.

"Ok Eric" I say and he nods and returns to the bed.

We lie there in silence and after a few moments he unnecessarily sighs, "What do you want to know?" he says in a resigned tone.

I shake my head, "If you are uncomfortable about this I don't want to push you, but I just wanted to know more about you, you have walked this earth for over a thousand years the things you must have seen in that time, the changes in the world it would be amazing to hear it" I say.

I feel him relax as I say this "So you don't necessarily want to hear things about me personally?" he asks warily.

I shrug, "Well it would be nice but if you don't want to, I accept that" I say.

"I cannot see how you would be interested" he says.

"Everything about you interests me, you are my husband and I love you, I want to hear about all the things you have experienced, for example" I say and turn to face him, "when I told you about the Cluviel Dor, you knew that furniture had such things as secret drawers and you knew where they were and how to operate them and because of that fact I had spent hours searching and you found it within seconds, not because you read it in a book, but because you were there when the furniture was made, I find that amazing and fascinating" I say.

Eric thinks about this and smiles, "You want me to tell you of my experiences, the things I have seen over the centuries?" he says.

I nod enthusiastically.

"Alright" he says and pulls me close. I smile and I hope that by taking a roundabout route I may be able to steer him on to the things I really want to know. "Where shall I start?" he asks.

I rest my head on his chest, "How about at the beginning" I say, I feel him stiffen and my heart sinks.

"Where did you go after you were turned?" I ask.

"I travelled Europe with Ocella, I was living in a village in what is now modern day Sweden but I had to leave, that was what happened back then, there were many legends about vampires back then and people were superstitious, if they were to have seen me I would have been hunted down and killed and my family would have been slaughtered too, in case they were infected, as they didn't understand how people became vampires" he pauses at my expression.

"You have to remember this was another time entirely, and it was also practical for the maker to take the new progeny away from what they knew, as there would always be the desire for the progeny to return to what was familiar from their human life and as new vampires can be unpredictable they tend to draw attention to themselves – they have no self control and kill when they feed, even if they don't mean to because they don't know any better, and no vampire wants to draw attention to themselves" he says.

I nod and let him carry on, I watch as his face takes on a far away look as though he is looking back through the centuries.

"Ocella and I travelled Europe; we travelled through what is now Denmark, Germany and France, we spent some time in Russia. Ocella liked Europe; he had spent a lot of time there during his life as a Roman centurion". He stops speaking, "I didn't like Europe, I loved my home country of course and I still do, and I have, a certain affection for England, I have a home there to this day, but I did not really care for the rest of Europe".

"Why?" I ask.

I feel him pull away from me, agitation is now flowing through the bond and I reach for him quickly, wondering how I can bring him back.

"What is your home like? The one you have in Sweden or is it in England?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "Both, I have one in England and in Sweden, the one in Sweden is beautiful, you would love it, it's in the mountains, bitterly cold in the winter, but the winter nights are long there is barely any daytime in that part of the country, the one in England is near to where I met Pam, we go there from time to time but we haven't been there for years" he says.

"Would you take me there?" I ask.

"Yes of course, I will take you to both, we will go in the winter so I can show you around, and perhaps we could go at Christmas time or something" he says.

I nod, "I'd like that" I say.

There is a silence for a moment and I feel Eric stiffen again then he speaks. "I know you want to know about my relationship with Ocella, but I am not going to speak of it, my maker is now dead and I am now finally free I do not wish to revisit that time of my existence" he says.

I nod "Can I just ask one thing?" I say carefully.

"You may" he says a little curtly.

"You said you are finally free, didn't Ocella ever release you?" I ask.

"No" Eric says but didn't offer any more.

"So that is why he thought he had the right to make the contract with Freyda?" I ask.

"Yes" Eric says.

I squeeze him "I'm glad he is dead" I say quietly and I feel Eric hold me closer to him, but he doesn't say anything.

"The relationship between a maker and their child is complex, there are good makers and those who should never sire any progeny" he says.

I nod, "Pretty much like human parents, there are people who are good parents and those who should never have kids" I say.

Eric considers this, "I suppose that analogy works" he says.

"Was Ocella a good maker?" I ask and I hold my breath waiting for him to tell me to shut up.

"He was my maker and he taught me to stay alive" he says.

"Thank you for answering my questions I know I said just one and I asked three but thank you for answering them" I say.

"Do you want to ask anything else about my maker?" Eric asks after a moment.

I nod, "yes but I don't want to upset you" I say.

"You may ask but if I do not wish to answer I won't" he says.

"That's fair enough" I say and I press a kiss to his chest. "Did he make anyone else, apart from you, and Alexei of course?" I ask.

Eric nods, "There was one other, but he did not survive the transition from human to vampire, Ocella told me about him" he says.

"So he was before you?" I ask.

Eric nods.

"Do you miss him now he is dead dead, Ocella I mean?" I ask.

"No, there was a wrench when he met his final death but that is natural with any maker and child when the other dies, especially when the progeny has never been fully released, it's the severing of the bond but there are no emotions involved, I do not grieve him like a human would grieve a parent" he says.

I nod, "If he didn't release you how come you weren't with him?" I ask.

"He gave me permission to leave him to pursue my own path, but he never fully released me, he never said the words 'I release you' which you have to do to fully release your progeny, he still made sure I knew that he was there in the background in control of my destiny" he says.

"Well he's not, he is dead and you are in control of your destiny" I say.

Eric touches my face, "you are my destiny" he whispers and presses a kiss to my lips.

"You didn't like it when he came here did you?" I ask.

"No" he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because I ...because he could have ordered me to kill you, and I would have had to comply or face the consequences" he says.

"What is it like when a maker orders you to do something, is it like he takes over you or something?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No, but when a maker says I order you to do, whatever they order you to do, you feel compelled to do it, its more like an overwhelming desire to do it, you can resist but then you face the punishment of your maker, for not obeying an order" he says.

"Did you ever disobey any orders Ocella gave you?" I ask.

There is a long silence before he answers me and I think I have once again hit on something which he doesn't want to share, just as I am about to tell him he doesn't have to say anything he speaks.

"Yes" he says, but doesn't elaborate.

I decide to leave the questions there for now, Eric has told me much more than I ever thought he would and I don't want to push my luck with what is obviously a very touchy subject. I hold him to me and press another kiss to him, to my surprise he speaks again.

"Which is why I didn't want him to be here, I knew that he knew how I felt about you and he was disgusted, he knew these human emotions I was displaying as he felt them through our bond and he believed they made me weak, when he first arrived I wasn't sure if he would order me to kill you – you have to understand he would have seen it as helping me, making me see the error of my ways but it appeared he had a more interesting plan instead" he says.

"But he failed" I say quietly, "You are not marrying Freyda, you are married to me and I love you" I say.

I hear him growl and he pushes me into the bed and climbs on top of me, I automatically open my legs to accommodate him and he settles himself between them.

I nod, "Thank you for telling me all that, I know it wasn't easy for you" I say.

Eric lifts his head and gazes into my face, "I do love you Sookie, I understand your human concept that the more we share and the more we know about each other the stronger we become, I have many issues coming to terms with that concept though, as it is as far from vampire nature as you can get" he says.

I press my finger to his lips, "I know, I get that and thank you for making the effort, I will try and respect your nature and how hard it is for you, it makes me humble to know that you try so hard to accommodate me, and it makes me understand that what we have is incredibly special and unique and it makes me determined never to let you down and be the best wife you could possibly want" I say. In that moment the seed of the idea that has been in my head for weeks now, finally blossoms into a decision which I now know, I will not regret and I just have to pick the correct time to tell Eric about my monumental decision.

With that, Eric's fangs descend and he slides into me, "Wife of mine" he says in my ear and then he nuzzles my neck and bites, and we are once more lost in each other.

**oooOOOooo**

The next day I keep remembering and going over the conversation I had with Eric, and the realisation of how much he has sacrificed for me and gone against his own nature so many times, the conversation I had with Thalia also comes into my mind how she told me that I wasn't good for Eric and so I go over the decision I have come to, which has taken me weeks to fully realise is the only sensible thing to do and I decide that I will put my decision to Eric after the summit is over, when hopefully we can settle and get on with our lives. I am happy and secure with the decision I have made as I have taken so long to fully consider all its implications and I return my attention to the here and now.

The next two weeks are a whirl of preparation for the summit and I don't have chance to think about the monumental decision I have made. Word has got around about what allegedly happened at Fangtasia and about the trial of Felipe at the forthcoming summit. Eric and Pam have spent a lot of time coaching me on how to behave at the summit, and they continually tell me that I need to be on my best behaviour and not to antagonise anyone.

They have assured me that allowances will be made for my humanity during the questioning, I'm not sure what that means but I just nod in agreement.

I am sitting going through what is likely to happen again when my phone rings, Eric and Pam pause to let me answer it.

"Sookie, how are you child?" I smile at Mr Cataliades' voice.

"Hello, I'm good thanks, how are you?" I ask.

"I'm very well, I thought I'd inform you, so you are prepared, the Ancient Pythoness will be attending the summit, she will be questioning and observing at the trial of Felipe" he says.

"Oh I see, is that a good or a bad thing?" I ask.

"It is unusual, but then again nothing is usual about this summit, it is unusual to merge two clan summits and it is unheard of for a human to give evidence at a vampire disciplinary proceeding and yet you will be a witness" he says.

"Will she...I mean, the Ancient Pythoness, will she question me?" I ask.

"She may do, I believe you will be first to be questioned as it will need to be established why there was an Oath of Protection taken out by Felipe for you, then probably Eric will be questioned, then Pam and finally I will be questioned, as the proceedings will follow the timeline of events" he says.

"Ok" I say, "Thank you for telling me" I say.

"You are most welcome, tell me child has Eric been coaching you in how to conduct yourself at the summit?" he asks.

"Yes he has, and Pam, and they have both drummed it into me that I have to be on my best behaviour and I can't go insulting anyone" I say.

Mr Cataliades laughs, "That is excellent, tell me is your husband with you now?" he asks.

"He is do you want to speak to him?" I ask.

"I would be most obliged if I could" Mr Cataliades says.

I hold my phone out to Eric, "Its Mr Cataliades, he wants to talk to you" I say and Eric take the phone from me.

"Desmond" he says and listens, I see surprise and then a smile crosses his face. "Well that is very interesting indeed, thank you for telling me...yes she has responded well...I have no concerns about that...no...yes I totally agree with you, thank you, yes goodbye" Eric hands me the phone and I take it from him.

I stead of turning to me he looks at Pam, "The Ancient Pythoness is attending and Cataliades believes that she will undertake some of the questioning" he says.

"Wow" Pam says.

I realise that this really is a big thing and something not to be taken lightly. As I consider this my phone rings again and I quickly answer it.

"Sookie how are you?" I stiffen at the voice and look straight at Eric.

"Good evening Alcide, what can I do for you?" I ask and I put the call on speaker so Eric and Pam can hear they immediately close in around me and listen carefully to the Were.

"I need to ask a favour, I know you said you wouldn't be a shaman for us again and I accept that, but I need to you to come over and do that thing you do at the next pack meeting I need to know if I have any more traitors in my midst" he says.

I look at Eric and he gestures that he needs to know more.

"When is the next pack meeting?" I ask.

"The night after next" he says.

I smile. "I am sorry Alcide, I won't be able to, I will be in Dallas for the Amun Vampire Summit then" I say.

"But you are a friend of the pack" Alcide says sharply and I see Eric's fangs descend at the tone Alcide is using and I watch as he balls his hands into fists.

"I know I am, and I am also married to a vampire, and I have to give evidence at the Summit" I say.

I hear a sigh, "Oh I understand" he says tightly, in the tone of voice which tells me he doesn't understand at all and that he is pissed at me for saying no.

I am on edge as this could go either way and could end with something really bad happening.

"Alcide, you should know I put your call on speaker and Eric and Pam are listening, so be very careful about what you say next, and you should also know that I don't appreciate you trying to manipulate me by saying 'I'm a friend of the pack' every time you want something as if that makes me obligated to jump, every time you click your fingers, I have a life" I say. There is a lengthy silence and then he speaks again this time with a politer tone.

"Would it be possible for you to assist us at a later date?" he asks.

I smile, "Of course it will, I am setting up a business after the summit, hiring out my telepathy as a service and so as a friend of the Longtooth Pack I would be happy to offer the services I'm providing to y'all. I will send you a contact as soon as it is finished being drafted and you can take a look" I say.

"Business, so I will have to pay?" Alcide splutters.

"That is correct, I decided that it was better this way, as I will have more control and it will eliminate the potential of being taken advantage of" I say. "I will say who I see and when I see them" I say.

"I see" Alcide says.

"Yes I'm quite looking forward to it if I am honest" I say mildly.

"I'll be in touch" Alcide says and then the line goes dead.

"My guess is he won't be in touch" Pam says with a snort.

"Well, we'll see" I say. I turn towards Eric who hasn't said anything but who is watching me carefully.

"What?" I ask.

Eric smiles at me, his anger has gone" Nothing, at one time you would have put the dog first or at the very least you would have told him no but fretted endlessly about your decision" he says.

I wrap my arms around him. "That was before I was married and I realised how wonderful my husband is, there is no decision to make, you and vampire business come first" I say.

Eric makes a low rumbling noise and pulls me close.

"Are all the travel arrangements in place for the summit?" he asks me suddenly.

I nod, "Yes I finalised them today. I spoke to Stan's day person and he wants us to stay with him, so we are travelling down as soon as you rise tomorrow night, its not a long flight only about 45 minutes on average, all the transportation to the airport is in place, along with the transport of your and Pam's travel coffins and the other luggage" I say.

Eric nods, "You are very efficient, you are the best day person I have ever had" he says and he nuzzles my neck, "and of course there are other perks and advantages I can claim" he mumbles from his spot buried in my neck.

I start to giggle and I can feel Eric's building excitement, "Hey calm down" I whisper.

Eric growls again I glance towards Pam who tuts and rolls her eyes and then quietly slips from the room, leaving us alone.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

"Sookie we have landed, come on my love" Eric says gently shaking me.

I open my eyes and yawn, I haven't stopped, getting all the arrangements ready and going over and over what I am going to say at the summit, Mr Cataliades has been coaching me during the day and Eric and Pam have been coaching me during the evening and well into the night, it's been relentless, and on top of the usual paperwork I do for Eric's Sheriff duties and for the general running of Fangtasia, and getting all the arrangements in place for the travel to Dallas, I was totally exhausted by the time we climbed on board the plane and in a matter of moments I was fast asleep.

"Eric, I'm so sorry, I fell asleep" I say.

"You were exhausted, I could feel it through the bond" he says.

I nod, "It's been a busy time" I say.

Eric scoops me up into his arms and kisses me, "Come on, let's go and greet Stan" he says.

I struggle from his arms, "I can walk, I don't want him thinking I am a weak little human" I say. Eric throws his head back and laughs.

"Nobody could ever think that of you, and if they did they would soon realise how wrong they were" he says.

As we go to leave the plane a sudden thought occurs to me, "Eric, isn't Stan still healing from Rhodes, I remember someone saying that he had been badly injured and would take decades to recover?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "He has healed, he has been receiving regular donor blood from vampires and humans" he says.

I nod and grip Eric's hand as the plane doors open, Pam comes and stands on my other side and we exit the plane. At the bottom of the steps I see a group and I recognise the Texas monarch standing in the centre of the group. Eric steps in front of me and walks down the steps and Pam follows me. I see the eyes of group on me and I quickly do an evaluation of what we have, four vampires and...a telepath! Barry!

_Hi Barry how are you? _ I say telepathically to Barry.

_Hi Sookie, I'm good thanks how are you? Congratulations on your marriage, _Barry replies

My attention is brought back to Stan. He looks exactly the same, he clearly has totally recovered from Rhodes and he looks even an even bigger geek than I remember him to be.

"Sheriff Northman how wonderful to see you and your delightful wife and of course your child Pam, welcome to Texas" he says.

I am immediately on edge his welcome was too ...enthusiastic, and that is one thing that vampires can never be accused of, it is not in their nature to be openly excited about anything apart from sex and killing.

I nod to Stan "Hello" I say.

Stan beams at me "Just delightful!" he exclaims again.

_What is he on?_ I ask Barry telepathically.

_It's because Eric gave him Oklahoma, he was surprised you killed that queen and even more surprised that Eric handed Oklahoma over to him, this is his way of showing respect to you _Barry explains.

_Well it's a bit over the top_ I say.

_You have to remember he isn't used to giving respect to a human, he doesn't know how to,_ he says _plus you kind of have a reputation now and I think he is nervous – not that he'd ever admit it, but you and the big guy are considered a formidable force, word has spread that you have been combat training with him and Thalia and the fact you have gained her respect seems to count for a lot and everyone is talking about the fact you have been trained by her and your husband, then there is the thing that you are going to speak at the summit against a vampire, that has really caused waves I can tell you._

I unconsciously squeeze Eric's hand and I immediately get concern through the bond, I remember our secret code and send him a wave of negativity. It's all I can think of, I watch as he immediately goes on alert and I squeeze his hand again, and send him comfort and what I hope he interprets as a desire to speak with him.

Thankfully it appears he does and he relaxes slightly and turns to our host.

"Stan please forgive my rudeness but its been a trying time and I had to awaken Sookie when we landed, would it be possible for us to get settled as I want her to get enough rest before the summit tomorrow" he says smoothly.

Stan looks at me and smiles, "yes of course, I forget that your wife is a human" he says.

Eric wraps his arm around me, "Oh do not be deceived Stan, she is no ordinary human, but she has worked like a trooper, she has taken on all administrative duties for area 5 and for Fangtasia, she also undertakes personal tasks for me during the daytime and then in the evenings and well into the night she has been with myself and Pam preparing for the summit, it is inevitable that she be showing signs of fatigue" he says.

Stan stares at me agog, "Eric you have got yourself a gem there, someone who is prepared to take on so much for you, and I understand that she has become an accomplished fighter as well?" he says.

Eric nods proudly, "She has, Thalia has taught her well and I have also taught her everything I know" he says.

I rest my head against Eric's chest and Stan notices.

"Let's get back" he says and we head to the waiting motorcade. I watch as the travel coffins and luggage is loaded into a van which follows us back to Stan's residence.

**oooOOOooo**

Once we are alone I turn to Eric to tell him what Barry said, but he puts his finger to his lips then he glances around and sees a notepad and pen and writes a single word on it 'Bugs' I nod and I look around the room and watch as he checks the room for bugs, I clap my hands to get Eric's attention and he looks at me with amusement I quickly write down that I am going to use my telepathy to sense anything amiss in the room and Eric beams at me and nods.

I close my eyes and open up my mind to the room and I feel a sensation like vibration located at the mirror and a picture and so I go and stand by the picture and point at it, Eric immediately checks the picture and finds a small device concealed in the back. I point to the mirror and once again a device is found, I close my eyes again and shake my head I can't sense anything else.

Eric crushes the devices with one squeeze of his fist and then opens the window and throws them out. I give the bathroom a once over and devices are found in the shower and in the cabinet, I head to the huge walk in closet and yet another device is found.

Once I am certain that the room is clear I turn to Eric and wrap my arms around him and whisper in his ear what Barry told me. Eric listens carefully and then nods.

"I don't get it though?" I say.

"What?" he asks.

"Well...why is it considered such a big deal that I am giving evidence because I have done it before, when Sophie Ann was on trial for killing Peter Threadgill I was a witness for her then and nobody seemed to care about the fact I was a human and she had more reason to glamour me than anyone as she was facing a murder charge of another vampire monarch" I say.

Eric smiles, "That was a different matter entirely, that was vampire politics regarding two vampire monarchs, and you were not personally involved, in the big scheme of things your testimony was irrelevant, this time it personally concerns you, as the charges against Felipe pertain to you and you are giving evidence which will directly have consequences on his future, that is why it is so… unique, as a human has never been in that position before".

I release in a rush the enormity of the situation I am in, and nearly miss what else Eric is now saying, "…of less relevance, in fact as I remember you were more helpful due to your reading of the lawyers mind and announcing that the Arkansas vampire witness was not going to be killed by Sophie Ann, which proved you hadn't been glamoured, as it was such an act of spontaneity, but this case involves a vampire failing to comply with an Oath of Protection and that in itself is unusual as it is such a serious offence as it involves the honour of the vampire involved, then there is the fact that Oath was taken out for a human which is unheard of, so under normal circumstances taking that into consideration it would appear to be reasonable to assume that I as the vampire have some sort of vendetta against Felipe and therefore I would be using you and manipulating the situation so you would not be considered a valid and reliable witness" he stops and I stare open mouthed at him.

"So what you are saying is, they don't believe that this oath thing could possibly be true because vampires don't give an oath of protection to humans and even if they did they wouldn't be stupid enough to break it" I say.

Eric nods, "Exactly" he says.

"So they think it's some kind of plot on your part and you have made the whole thing up?" I say, and a cold feeling of dread fills me.

Eric nods again and realisation hits me what a dicey situation Eric is in at this moment.

"Wait, so this whole thing is having a huge effect on your standing in the vampire community, they think you are a trouble maker and it's all your doing?" I say.

Eric shrugs but says nothing.

"Why didn't you tell me all this?" I exclaim.

"I didn't want to add to the concerns that you already have about this trial" he says. In that moment, don't know whether to punch him or kiss him, I realise that he is protecting me again, but in doing so he failed to give me all the information I needed.

In the end I focus on the injustice of the situation, "But that is so wrong, you are the most honourable vampire I have ever met, you always do what is right, oh this really pisses me off" I say and I start pacing in agitation.

Eric grasps my shoulders and pulls me close, "Which is why it imperative that you come across correctly at the summit" he says. I realise now why he and Pam have spent so much time and effort coaching me and drumming into me how to behave.

A sudden awful thought occurs to me, "could this go against us and if it does could something bad happen to you?" I ask.

Eric hesitates and then nods once. "Tell me" I demand.

"If the vampire counsel decides that what we say is lies and that Felipe is blameless I could be charged with treason" he says.

"And that means?" I ask.

"I would be sentenced to death, I would have to meet the sun" he says.

I shake my head, "No...no no no no no" I moan and I start to cry the impact of exactly what we are facing hits me with the force of a wrecking ball and the realisation that Eric is in this position because of his love for me makes the decision I came to two weeks ago more definite in my mind, I grip him tightly. "I won't let you down, lets go through things again now" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "No you are tired and emotional, it would be a bad idea you need to rest", he says.

"Why didn't you tell me all this?" I say and I start getting angry again.

Eric holds me to him, "Because I was afraid that your protective instincts and your love for me would lead you to do or say something inappropriate at the trial, I _need_ you to behave correctly and answer the questions correctly and not antagonise anyone by getting angry on my behalf, if we are to have any chance at surviving this" he says grimly.

I take a deep breath, Eric's survival depends on me and I am determined I won't let him down.

"Sookie don't worry about this, the evidence we have is overwhelming and the fact that you are going to be allowed to speak and give your evidence is also a huge positive in our favour, that and the fact the Ancient Pythoness is officiating she can see all and she is wise and just" he says confidently.

"You wouldn't be in this situation if it weren't for me though" I say.

Eric tips my head up and looks steadily into my eyes, "you are more than worth it" he says and kisses me. In that moment I know without question what I am going to do if we manage to get through this.

Eric stays with me until I go to sleep, his travel coffin is in the corner of the room and I know he will be locking himself inside when I eventually do go to sleep but after the revelations of tonight my mind is buzzing and sleep is the last thing on my mind.

I lie in Eric's arms going over everything in my mind, the thought of Eric being sentenced to death has had a huge effect on me, and I am having difficulty processing it all, my mind is working overtime and my whole relationship with Eric is playing on a constant loop through my mind, and the more it does the more I realise just how much he has always loved me and how he has consistently put me first and all the while I questioned his motives and assumed he was only doing what he was doing for his own gain and I am ashamed of myself that I questioned him and doubted him.

I remember how he took a bullet for me in Dallas and again when Debbie Pelt tried to shoot me, how he escorted me and protected me at the orgy at Jan Fowler's place at Mimosa Lake, and the memory of those lycra leggings pops into my mind and I smile – the memory of those leggings will stay with me for ever, I remember how he has protected me so many times, how he stopped Andre from forcing me to become bonded with him, and I always thought he was only doing it for his own gain, and how I dismissed him time and time again when in reality he was in his own way trying to show me how much he loved me.

I remember how he forced Bill to tell me about his true intentions how he tried to get me to see that Bill wasn't who I thought he was, he did all that for me and all I have ever done is give him grief and openly defy him and insult him, well not any more, I am going to give him the one thing I know he has always truly wanted, but once again he went against his nature and instinct and didn't push it because I didn't want it, I decide that I am not going wait until after the summit to tell him of the monumental decision I have made which was born out of a tiny seed of an idea, I want to tell him now.

I turn to face him, "I want to be with you" I say looking up into his eyes.

"You are with me, you are my wife" he says.

I shake my head, "No Eric, I want to be with you, I want to be with you for ever, I don't want to age and die, I want us to be together ...I want to be like you" I say.

Eric's eyes widen and he stares at me realising what I am asking. "You want me to turn you, you want to become a vampire?" he asks slowly.

I nod, "I do, I want to be with you I have realised the sacrifices that you have made for me, you have put yourself in situations where you have had your honour and integrity questioned and assumptions of weakness made against you, and you did it all for me, its time I did the same for you and showed you my complete commitment to our relationship" I say.

Eric stares at me in shock and then firmly he shakes his head.

"No" he says.

"Why?" I ask, completely shocked that he is refusing to do it.

"Because this is a reaction, it is coming from a place of panic and of unfounded guilt from what I told you tonight, I am not saying I won't become your maker but we will wait, we have plenty of time, we will go to the summit we will give evidence and then when we return home if you still feel the same way then I will consider turning you, we will discuss it and we make the decision together when everything else is taken care of" he says.

I shake my head, "No it's not, I first had this idea weeks ago and since that first seed of an idea popped into my head, it has grown and grown and I have looked at all the positives and negatives and I am totally confident in my decision and it comes from a place of love…for you" I say.

Eric thinks about this and then he shakes his head again, "Alright, I accept that but the answer is still no" he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"I cannot and will not turn you until after the summit, if I were...if things were to go against us, you would be left abandoned and vulnerable, Pam would probably take care of you but I wouldn't want her to have that responsibility, if I were to turn you I would need to be there to guide and teach you, if you truly want this, I would be honoured to be your maker, but we will wait until we are back home and all this is behind us" he says.

I can see his logic and I nod, and in at that moment I love him even more. "I love you so much" I say.

Eric holds me tightly, "I know" he says.

**oooOOOooo**

When I wake up the next day I stare across at the travel coffin, I know I won't see Eric until nightfall and I can't open the coffin as Eric will have locked it from the inside. I go and place my hand on it and send a burst of love inside. I kiss my fingers and press them to the top of the coffin to my great surprise and shock I feel a weak response come from inside, I close my eyes and I feel Eric's fingers touch mine through the coffin lid.

Tears fall down my cheeks and I brush them away. "See you tonight my love" I whisper.

I look around the room and find a note, I quickly open it and read it. It is not Eric's handwriting and I wonder who it is from.

_Mrs Northman_

_Please feel free to wander at will through my home, I have instructed my day staff to attend to you and see that anything you need is catered for._

_When you rise, just head downstairs and Janelle will greet you and tend to your human needs. I look forward to speaking with you tonight._

_Stan_

I leave the note on the desk, so Eric will see it when he rises, he will see I have read it and I am not keeping it from him.

I head downstairs and sure enough there is an oldish woman dusting the picture frames.

"Excuse me, hello...are you Janelle?" I ask carefully.

The woman turns and smiles warmly at me. "I am indeed, and you must be Sookie Northman" she says.

I nod and return the smile, I look inside her head and see she is human but she is also related to Stan, she has benign thoughts and my suspicion levels drop.

"Would you like some breakfast, you must be hungry?" she says kindly.

I nod enthusiastically and as if to emphasise the fact my stomach growls loudly, I press my hand to my stomach and blush apologetically. Janelle laughs and gestures towards a door I follow her into a huge modern kitchen, I smile wondering why vampires have such good facilities for something they will never use.

"Wow" I say as I look around.

"Yes, this kitchen caters for all the day staff and at night time it is where the night staff come to have their feeding breaks" she says.

I nod understanding immediately that a residence of this size must have a number of humans and possibly Weres who are around in the daytime.

"What would you like to eat?" she asks me.

I shrug, "Anything would fine, I don't want to put you to any trouble" I say.

Janelle smiles again, "it's no trouble, Stanislaus told me to give you whatever you wanted" she says.

I smile inwardly at the way she calls Stan by his full original name.

"How do you know Stan?" I ask innocently.

"He is my great great great uncle" she says with a beaming smile.

"Oh I see" I say.

"Yes all the human staff here are descended from him and his family, apart from Barry of course" she explains.

That is a smart move on his part, family ties make for more loyal staff.

"I understand that you know Barry?" she asks.

I nod but don't elaborate. I sit down at the table, "I'd love some Scrambled eggs if that's ok?" I ask changing the subject.

Janelle nods and immediately sets to work. She points to a nearby coffee machine. "Help yourself to some coffee, or if you would prefer anything else all the human beverages are in that cupboard over there" she says, and points towards cupboard to the left of the coffee machine. I immediately stand and pour myself a mug of coffee and resume my seat at the table.

"I never thought I'd see the day Mr Northman would get married," Janelle says in a chatty manner.

I look at her in surprise, "You know Eric?" I ask.

She nods, "Oh yes, when Sophie Ann was alive and she had events which Stanislaus was invited to, he always took me along with him and inevitably I met all the Louisiana sheriffs," she says "all the original sheriffs, that is" she adds sadly.

This news surprises me and it must show on my face.

"He wanted someone he could trust, to provide him with what he needed" she says.

"Oh so you were his blood donor" I say understanding immediately.

She nods, "It's an arrangement that suits us both," she says.

I hold up my hand, "You don't have to explain anything, if it works for you who am I to judge, and besides I feed my husband," I say. "

"Although, it does get tiresome to be assumed to be nothing more than a pet" she says.

I let out a small unladylike snort, "Tell me about it, I loathe that term" I say.

Janelle smiles widely once more. But this information has put me on alert, if she is so closely bonded with Stan then it is very possible he is using her to extract information from me. I sip my coffee and thank her when she places a plate in front of me with a generous helping of scrambled eggs on.

"Thank you, this looks delicious" I say politely as I tuck in.

The rest of the day drags by, I am willing the hours to pass and for Eric to join me, I spend the day wandering around the garden and the house and chatting with the human staff. I watch the comings and goings and I wonder who will be at the trial.

I cast my mind back to the last summit the ill fated one in Rhodes, and the trial of Sophie Ann, I had interrupted proceedings then and not behaved very well at all in the eyes of the vampires present, but I was just a human employee of the queen, and nobody of real importance, so my behaviour I assume was excused on account of my ignorance of vampire etiquette. They wouldn't be so understanding and forgiving this time, now I am married to a vampire and no ordinary vampire, I am married to an area sheriff and an ancient vampire of many years standing, such rudeness would not be tolerated now, it would expected that Eric would have taught me how to conduct myself.

I remember everything that Eric said last night and fear streaks through me at the thought that he could be accused of treason and put to death. Now I know everything including the extent of what is at stake – namely my husband's life, I am determined not to let him down.

I am lost in my thoughts when I hear my name being called I turn and see Janelle walking towards me.

"Mrs Northman, we are about to sit down for some lunch, you are more than welcome to join us?" she asks.

I smile and follow her back to the house.

As I sit around the table the people gathered there stare at me, I quickly listen to them to find out what they really think of me. To my surprise they are all in awe of me, to start off with, the fact I am married to Eric and still human seems to be very impressive to them, then there are the stories of my kills which although not totally exaggerated does contain one omission and one glaring lie. They all seem to know about the Oath of Protection and how I received it and they all believe that what we are saying happened is the truth. This gives me confidence as they have obviously heard this from Stan and if he believes us, then that can only be a good thing.

After lunch Janelle gives me a guided tour of the leisure facilities. I head back out to the garden and I decide to make a call.

"Hello" I smile at the familiar voice.

"Hi Jason" I say.

"Hey sis, what's up?!" he says cheerfully.

"Jason I want to ask you something" I say.

"Ok?" he replies.

"How would you feel, if I told you I had decided to let Eric turn me?" I ask.

"What, you mean you'd be a deader?" he asks.

I roll my eyes, "I would be a vampire, Jason" I say.

There is a significant silence, "Has he talked you into this?" he asks.

"No, it was my decision, in fact when I put it to him he refused he said we needed to wait and discuss it, so I am taking my time and thinking things through, and you are my brother Jason I want to know how you would feel about it" I say.

"Well if its your decision and you want to do it then I guess I'm ok with it, I mean I don't have any room to judge, after all I turn into a Werepanther at the full moon! " he says.

"No but that was forced on you, you didn't ask for it" I say.

"Yeah true, but being the way I am now, it gives me a sense of belonging, do you get what I mean?" he says.

"Yes I do" I say.

"So, as long as he doesn't force you into doing it, I'm ok with whatever you decide" he says.

"Thank you Jason" I say.

"No problem" he replies.

I hang up and call Sam, as his judgement is another I trust.

"Merlotte's, Sam Merlotte speaking" he says as he answers.

"Hi Sam" I say.

"Sookie, hi, how are you?" he says with more than a hint of warmth in his voice.

"I'm good, I'm in Dallas for the vampire summit" I say.

"I heard, you are giving evidence at Felipe's trial, aren't you?" he says.

"Nothing gets past you does it?" I say and I hear him chuckle.

"No I guess not" he says.

"How are things, has business picked up now?" I ask.

"It sure has, we are pretty much back to normal now, in fact we are a bit busier, after the roadhouse shut down, their clientele carried on into Bon Temps looking for somewhere to go and found us so we've been buzzing since it shut down" he says.

"Good I'm pleased for you" I say sincerely.

I take a deep breath, "Sam, I want to ask you something" I say.

"Ok?" he says warily.

"Would you still be my friend if I decided to become a vampire?" I ask.

"Sookie, tell me you haven't?" he asks in shock.

"It's daytime Sam!" I say pointing out the obvious with more than a hint of sarcasm.

I hear Sam take a sigh of relief, then slightly defensively he speaks, "There was no need for the attitude Sookie, what you said concerned me" he says and I can tell he is hurt.

"Sorry" I say apologetically "Let me rephrase that then, no I haven't, not yet, but I'm considering it" I add.

"Is this Eric's idea?" Sam immediately asks.

"No, it's mine, in fact Eric said no when I asked him to do it" I say.

"He said no? Really?" Sam asks in surprise.

"Yes, he told me to wait until after the summit, to take my time and think things over" So I'm taking my time and getting the opinion of people I trust, I've spoken to Jason and he has given me his blessing" I say.

"And you want mine too?" Sam asks.

"I don't want to lose you as a friend, Sam" I say.

I hear him sigh, "Sookie, you know I wouldn't want that for you, but if its what _you_ want then well...its not my place to say otherwise or judge you, and don't worry you will always be my friend I won't disown you just because you turned into… one of them" he says.

"Thanks Sam that means a lot" I say.

"You're welcome, how would it affect your place with the Weres?" he says.

"I don't know. and to be honest I don't really care, Alcide has been behaving like an asshole" I say.

"Why? What did he do?" Sam asks.

I quickly outline how I went to see him after I had spoken to Sam and what he said and tried to do, I tell him about Eric's reaction when I told him and I tell him about the strange telephone conversation I had with Alcide, and how he wasn't best pleased that I couldn't listen to his pack and that when I offered to do so at a later date, and mentioned that I was planning on making a business out of my gift, he wasn't too pleased about that either, as it appeared that he didn't want to pay for my services.

"He's an idiot, Eric would have been within his rights to have had him killed for the way he behaved" Sam says. "He was just asking for trouble" he adds.

"I know" I say.

"Also, he should expect to pay for the service you provide, if he asked another Supe for a favour they would expect to be paid, or hold a favour to cash in at a later date, you have been too soft with him and he has taken advantage of you" Sam says.

"I know that, but I've learnt my lesson" I say.

"How will becoming a vampire affect your...gift?" he asks suddenly.

I pause I have no idea about that, "I don't know" I say.

"You'll have to speak with Eric about that, you may lose it altogether" Sam says.

"That wouldn't be such a hardship" I say.

"It would if you are planning on making your living that way" he says.

I pause and consider that. "True" I say.

"Don't do anything hasty Sookie, think it through, and weigh everything up, I'm actually quite impressed that Eric is taking that attitude, and he has gone up in my estimation for doing so, remember he loves you as you are, you don't need to prove anything" Sam says.

"Thanks Sam" I say.

"You're welcome" he replies.

We say our goodbyes and I decide to head inside and have a swim in the pool I saw earlier when Janelle gave me the tour.

**oooOOOooo**

I am completing another length of the pool when I feel a familiar presence in the room with me, I pause and rub my eyes and look towards the door and smile, Eric is watching me, he is totally naked and with outstanding grace he dives into the pool and swims powerfully towards me.

"Sookie" he says and grabs me, I immediately tilt my head and he sinks his fangs in and drinks from me.

"Did you feel me this morning?" I ask remembering the feelings I got earlier.

"I did, I felt your love, I concentrated on it and I felt you touch my coffin, I managed to summon enough energy to reach out to you and I touched the inside of the coffin, did you feel me?" he asks.

I nod, "I was surprised" I say.

"So was I, it is not normal the bond we have" he says looking closely at me.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"It is far stronger than even a maker/child bond" he says.

"Oh" I say.

"That is a good thing" Eric assures me and kisses me, I wrap my arms around him and kiss him back, I feel him reach down and rip off my bikini bottoms and then he lifts me and thrusts into me, I gasp as he pounds into me, I move with him and the next thing I realise he has removed my top as well.

I watch as he bites his wrist and offers it to me, I take it and I get an initial unpleasant taste of swimming pool water but then I taste Eric's rich sweet blood and I lap it willingly.

Eric moans and then with a roar he throws his head back and comes violently inside me and it tips me over the edge and I bite down hard on his wrist as I reach my completion, this excites him even further and he thrusts again harder and I whimper, he regains his composure and looks apologetically at me and then gently pulls out of me.

"You make me lose my mind" he says and he touches my face, "Did I hurt you?" he asks.

"Maybe a little" I say.

The next thing I realise I am out of the pool and Eric has bitten his tongue and he is licking me, healing me down there, I moan at the sensation.

"Better?" he asks.

"Much, I liked that" I say as I flush bright red.

Eric looks smugly at me, he knows exactly how much I liked that, as I'm sure he felt it through the bond.

He stands and holds out his hand, "Come, we need to get ready" he says.

I nod, the atmosphere has suddenly plummeted and anxiety thrums through me, Eric takes me in his arms once more.

"We will get through this" he says to me.

I nod and hope to god that he is right.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

I examine my torn bikini and look at Eric questioningly. He has the grace to look sheepish.

"How am I supposed to get upstairs without...?" I trail off as Eric wraps a huge towel around me and lifts me into his arms then at vampire speed carries me to our room.

He kicks the door shut with his foot. "Like that my wife" he says smugly.

"Smart ass" I say.

He bows "At your service" he says and I giggle.

I know what he is doing, he is trying to take my mind off things and lighten my mood and I love him for it.

"I spoke to Sam and Jason today" I say.

"Oh" he says I can tell he isn't really interested.

"About me asking you to turn me" I say, now he's interested.

"What did they say?" He asks.

"Basically, they wanted to know if you had talked me into it, I told them that it was all my idea and that you had refused to do anything till we got home and had chance to talk it over properly" I say.

"I see" he says.

"Yes, Sam said you had gone up in his estimation for your attitude and he said that if I became a vampire it wouldn't change anything – he'd still be my friend, Jason just said that if it was what I wanted then it was fine by him" I say.

Eric nods, "So you are still adamant about this?" he says.

I nod "I am, it's not a sudden recent decision, I have been thinking about this for some time, I do have one question, Sam mentioned it actually, when I become a vampire would I lose my telepathy?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No, when a human becomes a vampire, any talents humans have stay and are sometimes improved, like your senses become sharper your hearing, eyesight and reflexes become sharper and you become stronger and quicker, so any gift you have would be improved, in your case your telepathy was a gift from another Supernatural, so in theory when you become my child you could pass it on to me, just like I could pass on my gift of flight to you" he says.

I nod, "So, if you could hear me, could I hear you? Could I hear vampires as well as humans?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "It would be quite possible" he says.

I think about that possibility and it definitely gives me food for thought.

We get dressed, Eric looks gorgeous in his suit and tie and the demure dress he bought for me to wear is perfect for the occasion.

"You look stunning" he says as he watches me brush my hair and pull it up into a pony tail, he comes up behind me. "Wear your hair down tonight" he says and pulls the elastic from my hair, I brush it again and leave it down around my shoulders.

I grab my purse and then taking Eric's hand we make our way downstairs. Stan is waiting at the bottom of the stairs and he smiles brightly.

"Good evening, I trust you have had a pleasant day Mrs Northman?" he says politely.

I nod, "yes thank you for your hospitality" I reply with a nod.

Stan returns the nod and then looks at his watch. "We need to go" he says.

"Who is on the council?" Eric asks casually.

"Erm... I am, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Iowa I think" Stan says. My mind goes back to the previous trial and the monarchs I met then, and I picture them all in my mind. Some are different from the last time and I glance at Eric who seems pleased with the line up.

"Shall we go" Stan says and Eric nods and we all file out of the palace in silence.

**oooOOOooo**

When we arrive at the hotel, security is tight and everything is checked and double checked, no vampires wanted a repeat of Rhodes and neither do I. I glance at Barry as I remember that awful time and he turns and his eyes meet mine and I know he knows what I was thinking.

As we make our way to the conference room I spot a familiar figure and I take in a sharp breath. Eric follows my gaze and immediately wraps his arm around me and pulls me close.

Over on the far side of the room doing the organising and putting in place the final touches, is Quinn, I touch Eric's chest with my hand and he bends his head towards me thinking I want to say something but I press a kiss to his cheek and send him a flood of love through the bond. He squeezes me and returns the kiss.

"He means nothing to me, I am yours" I say to Eric and he kisses me again.

Quinn looks around and freezes when he sees me, he glances at Eric and I smile and wave to him but his response is to deliberately turn his back and he ignores me and carries on working as if nothing has happened. I feel anger rising in Eric as what he sees as an insult towards me but I squeeze his hand and shake my head.

"Not worth it" I say to him and he nods and I feel the anger disappear.

I watch Quinn purposely keep his back to us and then leave the room. I know I hurt him when I ended our relationship but I stand by my decision as it was the right thing to do, we would never have been happy together. I watch as the vampires take their places, I recognise a lot of them and as I watch, a familiar voice speaks behind me.

"Well here we go" I turn and Pam is standing there, I so desperately want to hug her but I know that she wouldn't be happy about it.

"Hi Pam" I say.

To my great surprise she reaches for my arm and squeezes reassuringly.

"You'll do fine, just remember everything we went through, keep your answers short and to the point, and don't antagonise anyone" she says.

I nod "I'll do my best" I look up at Eric and he kisses me again.

"Eric, Pam, Sookie" we all turn at the voice and sanding there is Thalia, now that surprised me more than anything, she doesn't do public appearances – ever, she likes to be left alone, I watch as her presence has created a massive stir around the room, the vampires are staring at her in awe, she clearly has a huge reputation.

Thalia nods at Eric and he returns the gesture, "Thank you for coming and showing your solidarity" he says.

"Thank you" I say and Thalia nods curtly.

Thalia takes her seat and I look at Eric, "Why did she come?" I ask.

"In case the worst happens and I am taken away, she came to help Pam, get you out of here before Felipe could snatch you" Eric says.

I stare at him, "Are you expecting the worst?" I splutter.

Eric stares at me, "I am preparing for all eventualities" he says coldly.

I shake my head, "it's not going to happen, we are going to win this thing" I say with more confidence than I feel.

"Sookie" I turn and there is Mr Cataliades I feel an overwhelming sense of relief to see him and I fling my arms around him and hug him.

"It will fine, our case is very good" he murmurs in my ear and I nod in agreement.

Then I see Felipe, he is escorted in and sat in a seat he looks miserable. There is a guard around him and he is chained.

"Why is he being guarded?" I ask.

"One of the charges is classified as an offence against a human, which places him as a category A prisoner, meaning he is considered unpredictable and dangerous due to the alleged lack of self control" Mr Cataliades explains.

"Oh I see" I say.

Then I see the chair on the stage and the Ancient Pythoness comes out and sits down, this is all a bit like deja vous for me, as I remember the events at Rhodes.

Eric takes my hand and we take our seats on the opposite side to Felipe, he glares at us and he hisses at me, which wasn't the best idea he had ever had as he did it in front of a room full of witnesses. I see Ira and Gus the two vampire guards who were there at the wedding contract meeting and I realise they are going to speak of what they heard and saw. Pam sits beside them and then I see Bill, and three other vampires who I don't know and I wonder who they are.

"Who are they?" I ask Eric nodding towards them.

Eric leans down and whispers in my ear, "They were the guards who witnessed me held against my will in silver by Victor, and they heard the telephone conversation between Victor and Felipe when Felipe confirmed he had granted an Oath of Protection on you" he says.

"Oh when I got tortured you mean?" I ask.

Eric nods.

"So our case is pretty good then?" I ask.

Eric nods again.

I watch as Stan walks to the centre of the stage holding a large wooden staff and I know what is going to happen. He bangs it on the floor and the room falls silent. He quickly outlines why we are here and then sits down.

"Sookie Northman, if you would step forward and be questioned by her Excellency The Ancient Pythoness" Isaiah the king of Kentucky says politely.

I stand and Eric squeezes my hand reassuringly, I pause, and then in front of everyone I lean down and kiss him on the lips before making my way to the centre of the stage. Eric fills the bond with love and pride and it gives me the courage I need. I face the Ancient Pythoness and she smiles and it is a scary sight.

"We meet once again telepath, and under similar circumstances, namely a trial of a vampire monarch" she says.

"Yes ma'am" I say politely.

There is murmuring amongst the vampires watching and the Ancient Pythoness casts her sightless eyes around the room.

"Silence" she says, and the room falls silent. "You are human?" she asks.

"Mostly" I say.

Mr Cataliades smiles at my answer.

"Mostly? Tell me, what other beings share your blood and call you kin?" She asks.

I take a deep breath, "Fairy ma'am, my great grandfather is the crown prince of the Sky Fae, Niall Brigant" this produces more murmurs and a few gasps.

"Tell me, as part of your Fae ancestry do you find it hard to be glamoured?" she asks.

"Not hard ma'am, impossible, many vampires have tried and they have all failed to glamour me" I say.

"We are all aware that anyone with royal Fae blood in their veins is impervious to us" the Ancient Pythoness says to the room at large. "Fae also are unable to lie" she states.

"That is correct The Fae are unable to lie" I say.

More murmurs greet this news.

"So, to test that theory, tell me do you love your husband?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

"I do, with all my heart" I say proudly, thinking that that wasn't really a hard question to answer.

"Who is your husband?" she asks.

"Eric Northman, vampire sheriff of Area 5, Louisiana" I reply.

"You are married, is it in line with human law or vampire law?" she asks.

"Both ma'am, we performed a vampire pledging which was witnessed by Victor Madden and then Eric took me to Las Vegas and we married in line with human law, which was witnessed by Eric's progeny Pam Ravenscroft, my human brother Jason Stackhouse, and a few other friends" I say.

I glance at Eric and smile at him and I feel him send love and positivity through the bond but he remains impassive.

"Do you plan to stay human or do you plan to join us?" she asks.

I swallow hard, "I plan to become a vampire and I asked Eric last night to turn me" I say.

"If that is the case, why are you still human?" she asks and I realise how I answer this, will be the determining factor of whether or not I am lying.

I lick my lips nervously, "Because Eric said he wanted to wait until after the summit and to do it when we return home to Louisiana" I say.

I am pleased with that response it is mostly true – Eric said that and makes it seem as though Eric is in charge of when and how it happens. It also seems as though Eric was impressed with my answer as I get huge burst of positivity from him.

"So, Mrs Northman, can you tell us in your own words, the events which lead to you receiving the Oath of Protection from Felipe De Castro King of Nevada?"

I can't help but notice she doesn't say Louisiana and Arkansas but I clear my throat and begin to talk. I tell of how I sensed that Eric was in danger through our blood bond and how I drove to the car park where I saw Eric, Felipe and Sam tied up by Sigebert and how he was going to kill them, I explain how I realised that the only weapon I had was my car and how I ran down Sigebert and released Eric, Felipe and Sam, I explain how Felipe had told me how grateful he was, and that he was in my debt and then a couple of nights later Pam and Eric turned up at Merlotte's where I worked and told me of the Oath of Protection which Felipe had bestowed upon me.

"Did you understand the implications of this sacred oath?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

"Not at first ma'am, but I did when Eric had explained it to me" I say.

"And what did he tell you?" she asks.

"That if I was in grave danger then he or Pam would have to protect me and willingly die for me" I say.

"Did he explain the penalties of breaking such an oath?" she asks.

"No ma'am" I say.

"I understand that you were captured and tortured by Lochlan and Neave the water fairies" the Ancient Pythoness says.

"Yes ma'am" I reply.

"Were you in grave and mortal danger?" she asks.

"I was, I really thought I was going to die" I say, I glance at Eric and he closes his eyes briefly.

"Did your husband come to your aid?" she asks.

"No ma'am" I say.

"Really?" she asks.

"No ma'am, because Victor wouldn't allow him to, Eric told me that he tried to, but Victor held him against his will - and Pam as well, and he chained Eric in silver to stop him from coming to help me" I say.

"I see" she says.

"Yes Ma'am, but Eric told me that Pam managed to persuade one of the guards to allow her to ring Felipe, and when she did that, he confirmed that there was an Oath of Protection in place, so Victor had no choice then, but to release Eric" I say.

"And he then came to your aid?" she asks.

I look at Eric again with love and pride, "he did, and although he needed his blood to heal himself from the silver burns he had, he still willingly gave it to me so I would heal quicker" I say.

You can hear a pin drop in the room everyone is hanging on every word.

"So considering how much you love your husband, tell me about the proposed pledging between Eric and Freyda of Oklahoma" the Ancient Pythoness says.

I smile. "I was determined she wasn't having him, he's mine" I say.

I look at Eric and he smiles at me and I feel an overwhelming burst of love, pride and something else...possessiveness, he is telling me that he maybe mine but I am his too. I return my attention to the Ancient Pythoness.

She asks me how I planned to out manoeuvre the contract and I tell her of the plan to marry Eric by human law so that even if I was forced to divorce him by vampire law I could refuse to divorce him by human law, and that I was aware that human law superseded vampire law and that Eric as vampire was unable to file for divorce in a human court so there would be nothing that Freyda could do.

"And the sheriff agreed to this plan?" she asks.

I nod, "He did", this produces a number of hisses from around the room and I take another shot look at Eric, and he sends me warning through the bond, this immediately puts me on edge.

I think about what I have said and I realise it sounds like I manipulated him, I think carefully, "We were planning on marrying by human law anyway before we got knowledge of the contract between Freyda and Ocella, and Eric had all the plans in place, so we just brought it forward, and he flew us to Las Vegas and we married" I say.

I know I am lying through my teeth and I hope I sound convincing, I reassure myself that it's not a complete lie as Eric _did_ already have the plans in place, he just hadn't told me so at the time.

More murmurs fill the room and I wonder if I have said something else wrong, but relief fills me when Eric sends positivity and pride through the bond to me.

"Do you know if Eric sought permission to enter Nevada?" she asks.

I nod, "yes he did, he contacted the area sheriff of Las Vegas" I say.

"So you were married, and you returned, tell us what happened next?" she says.

"Well, I was told that a meeting had been set up between us and Felipe and Freyda to discuss the contract, I was informed that Mr Cataliades, the demon lawyer had been asked by Freyda to oversee the contract. A couple of nights or so before the meeting took place, we got a message from Bill in Bon Temps saying that there had been trouble at my old house and I should go and investigate. Eric sent Pam instead because I wasn't feeling very well that night and she reported back that Felipe was there and that he had a plan in place to abduct me, she managed to get a recording of the conversation where Felipe said some pretty bad things about me and told Bill of his intentions to take me back to Nevada with him. Bill asked him several times if I was going to be ok but Felipe didn't answer which made us all believe that he was going to hurt me or even possibly kill me" I say.

"Then the night after that happened, my brother Jason called me and told me that a vampire matching Felipe's description was hanging around outside his house and he kept trying to get Jason to let him in, I told Jason not to open the door and once again Eric sent Pam to Bon Temps, Pam saw Felipe but when he saw her he ran off" I say.

"Eric sent a vampire to the aid of a human?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

I nod, "he did, because he knows that Jason means a lot to me, I understand that he is my human family and therefore irrelevant to Eric, but Eric chooses to respect his place in my life, just as he expects me to respect his relationship with Pam" I say. I glance at Eric again we had gone over and over my response to this point and he smiles at me and I know I nailed it.

"But you have Fae Kin?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

I nod, "Yes ma'am, but I only met my great grandfather a short while ago, I have been with Jason all my life, I have grown up with him, he is my brother, so there is a strong human bond between us" I say.

"Tell us what happened at the marriage contract meeting, did you confront Felipe with the evidence that you had gathered about his behaviour?" she asks.

I nod again, "Yes ma'am, the meeting didn't go too well, Mr Cataliades laid out the issues with the contract he said that because Eric's maker was now dead, the contract was void and because we, that's Eric and I, were married by both vampire and human law and I was unwilling to divorce Eric, he couldn't enter into another marriage. Freyda went ballistic at this news and started shouting at Felipe saying he had promised her everything would go through and she said that he had told her he would take me to Las Vegas so she could have Eric, we confronted Felipe with that, along with the evidence Pam got and he told Freyda that he couldn't help her, she lost it and she flew at me and tried to kill me and I staked her in self defence, and I killed her" I say. There is a series of surprised reactions at this revelation.

"Did your husband try to protect you when you were attacked by Freyda?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

"He did, he tried to put himself in front of me, but I was scared I would accidentally stake him so I pushed him out of the way, I have been taking combat lessons from him and from Thalia and I felt I could handle the situation. Eric and I are bonded and he gave me all his anger and aggression and I put it to good use" I say.

"You pushed him out of the way?" the Ancient Pythoness asks, and I hear hissing around the room.

I had been expecting this, and we have gone over and over what my response should be, I try to look remorseful, "I know, it was very rude and disrespectful, but I just reacted and I didn't want to accidentally harm my husband, with the stake I was waving around, but I accept that what I did was wrong and I am going to work on my inappropriate reactions, so nothing like that happens again" I say.

"You took a stake to a meeting?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

"I did, as I say I had been receiving instruction and combat training from my husband and from Thalia for my own protection, when it first became clear that Felipe wanted to snatch me and possibly harm me. As part of that training, Thalia had told me to always be prepared, and I thought as I was entering a room with Felipe – the vampire who wanted to abduct me and possibly kill me, that it just seemed to be a sensible thing to take with me, should I need it – and it turned out that I did, only not against Felipe but Freyda".

"Thank you Mrs Northman you may sit down" the Ancient Pythoness says.

"Thank you Ma'am" I say and return to my seat, Eric grips my hand tightly and nods at me and I know I did good.

I watch as the others give their evidence, the guards, Bill and Pam all stand and corroborate everything I said, and then the two guards who were present when Eric was held by Victor, they tell of how they heard Felipe admit that he had given me an Oath of Protection and how Victor had reluctantly let Eric go to help me, when its Pam's turn to speak she tells of the day she and Eric were held and then she answers questions about when she went to Bon Temps and overheard Felipe's conversation with Bill she plays the recording that she captured to back up her story, and then she tells of the events the following evening when Felipe was harassing Jason. The atmosphere in the room changes at this point and the hostility towards Felipe is palpable. This gives me confidence to think that we are going to win.

Eric is the last one to give his evidence and he had warned me that I might not agree with some things he will have to say but under no circumstances am I to react in any way to anything I hear.

"Sheriff Northman, tell me about your relationship with your wife?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

Eric stands straight and he sends me a burst of love before he starts to speak.

"I first met Sookie Northman then Stackhouse when Bill Compton brought her to my club, Fangtasia, she was involved with Compton – she was his pet and at first she simply intrigued me. I discovered that she had certain gifts – she can read human minds and I immediately realised how useful that could be, not only for me personally in my line of work as a club owner, dealing with humans on a day to day basis but also for my Queen, and I admit, I coveted her, as I understood the value of possessing such an asset for myself and for my kingdom. Compton had stated he had claimed her as his, so, in line with vampire law on the possession of humans, I simply befriended her with a view to being able to 'borrow' her should the need arise, after all Compton resided in my area" he pauses and there is some murmuring around the room.

"I discovered that Compton was using Sookie, and had been purposely planted in her life in an attempt to procure her for the late Queen and I discovered that in line with that assignment he had planted lies in her head about me, my character and my honour, and this information angered me, so I approached the late Queen with my grievances and stated my discontent with the lies Compton had told a human about me, and I argued how his actions undermined my position as Area Sherriff, and as a vampire who had taken the decision to mainstream. The late Queen was furious and she denied any association with the lies Compton had told and she agreed with my grievances and she allowed me to pursue Sookie to rectify the slurs on my character, despite the fact she had been claimed by Compton, the late Queen made it clear that in the event Sookie should turn from Bill to me, that I would be expected to share her gifts with the kingdom".

"Share her gifts?" the Ancient Pythoness says.

"Yes, I had made it clear to the late queen that my association with Sookie was based on friendship and I stated how I had found that friendship was now evolving, and how I wanted more, but my hands were tied due to Compton's prior claim on her, the queen agreed to my pursuing Sookie personally and she agreed that Compton's actions at slandering me were unnecessary and wrong, but she made it clear that she wanted to procure Sookie's gifts for herself and the kingdom, and I agreed with that request."

This is the first time I have heard all this and I glance at Bill who is showing no emotion whatsoever. I wonder how much has been exaggerated and how much more has been left out, but Eric is painting a very compelling picture of how our relationship began. I see Felipe smile at Eric's words and I wonder what he is thinking. I return my attention back to Eric as he continues to describe our relationship.

"Our association completely changed when I was cursed by witches, Sookie found me wandering near her home and I was not in my right mind, I didn't know who or what I was, and she took me in at great personal risk to herself, and she cared for me and she protected me. She notified Pam of my whereabouts and she then played a large part in the Witch War, where I was restored to full health. She was brave and selfless, and it was when I was restored that I realised just how much she had done for me, and it was then, that the friendship we had and the respect I held for her evolved into what can only be described as affection and then eventually that grew into love, she is loyal and fiercely protective and I am proud to consider her my wife" he says.

The murmurs grow louder and I am shocked, Eric has just stated openly that he loves me despite how weak that could make him appear to be.

"Why have you not brought her over?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

Eric smiles, "Sookie is very opinionated and stubborn she is also a very independent woman and I have learnt that treading carefully with her produces the best results and gets me what I ultimately desire, also I believe that if I had forced her to become a vampire she would not have been a successful progeny and I would have probably had to put her down, which would have been a complete waste, but because she has come around to the idea herself, I believe that she will make an exceptional vampire" he says.

I smile at him, oh he is good, he is making it sound like it is his plan and he has manipulated me into thinking I am in charge. I stop and think about that, and I wonder is that what has really happened? As these negative thoughts surge through me Eric feels them and his head whips around to face me and he sends me positivity and comfort, I open my mind up to him and to my surprise I get a flash of his thoughts.

_Don't believe this, we are a team Sookie and I love you, I have to say this_ I send him positivity and love back and his thoughts vanish from my mind.

The questioning continues and then finally its Felipe's turn as Eric returns to me I squeeze his hand as he sits beside me.

Felipe cannot counter the allegations put against him and he glares at me and at Eric. The Ancient Pythoness questions him as to his motives and he rants about how I was his property when he took over Louisiana. He points at Eric and states how Eric has just practically admitted that I was the Queens property.

To my surprise the Ancient Pythoness looks towards me and asks me to stand up again.

"Mrs Northman, were you under contract to the late queen?" she asks.

I shake my head, "I didn't sign anything so no, I don't think so" I say.

"Think very carefully Mrs Northman, did the late Queen ever ask you to sign anything, anything at all?" she asks.

I shake my head again, "No ma'am" I say.

"So, why did you perform duties as a telepath for the late queen?" she asks.

I shrug, "She asked me to do her a favour and she said she'd pay me for my time, because I would lose money from taking time off work, so I agreed" I say.

"So there was no written agreement ever in place?" she says.

I shake my head "No" I say, "and it took me ages to actually get paid the money she promised me" I add.

Eric sends me negativity through the bond and I panic a little at what I just said.

"Did the late queen force you to bond with her or any of her progeny?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

I glance at Eric and he nods at me. "No, well not really" I say, and try and word my response in my head.

"Explain" the Ancient Pythoness demands.

I realise that how I answer this will determine whether or not I was the property of Sophie Ann.

"Andre tried to force me to bond with him, but I refused, and I fought against him, I had previously exchanged blood with Eric" I stop suddenly as I get another wave of negativity from Eric.

"I see, so you were already bonded to Eric?" she asks and I see Felipe smile again and lean forward.

I shake my head, "No, not properly bonded, we had just exchanged blood – accidentally, when he got shot and I sucked a bullet from him, but then again I had also exchanged blood with Bill as we had a personal relationship, but I wasn't blood bonded with either of them" I say and Eric sends me a huge burst of positivity and I realise I have answered correctly.

"So, to be very clear, you never willingly exchanged blood with Andre or Sophie Ann?" the Ancient Pythoness asks.

I shake my head, "No" I say, I know that Andre had tested a tiny amount of my blood when he found out I was Fae but I don't mention that.

"Did any forcible bonding take place at all between you and the late Queen or any of her progeny?" she asks.

"No," I say. I did bond with Eric that day, and I really didn't want to despite the fact I agreed to do it, but nobody needs to know that fact.

Felipe seems to realise that this means something to his case as he scowls at me.

The Ancient Pythoness looks towards him, "Felipe, King of Nevada, you are charged with serious offences, Offences against Humans and an Offence of Honour both of which may be punishable by final death, after hearing all the evidence, I rule that Sookie Northman was _not_ the property of the late queen Sophie Ann of Louisiana, no formal contract was signed nor was blood exchanged between Mrs Northman and the Queen or her progeny. Therefore she was not transferable to you, as an asset of the late Queen". I see the anger on Felipe's face at this judgement and he hisses loudly. I am practically sagging with relief at the verdict.

"The evidence is overwhelming at the breach of the Oath of Protection, you exceeded your boundaries as monarch and brought the entire race into disrepute by your actions, and irreparably damaged any reputation you may have had as an honourable vampire."

I have to control myself not to fist pump at these words and I wait patiently for the sentence he is going to get. I watch as the Ancient Pythoness confers with the other monarchs on the council and then she turns once more to face all the other assembled vampires.

"Felipe, King of Nevada for the honour offence of breaching the sacred Oath of Protection, you will be chained in silver for a period of ten years. For the offence of harassment of humans you will receive a further five years in silver, for your part in the marriage contract fiasco where you falsely gave the late Queen, Freyda of Oklahoma the belief that you would help her, by removing Mrs Northman from her husband, I sentence you to five years in silver, for threat of abduction I strip you of the states of Louisiana and Arkansas. You will return to Nevada where you will remain monarch but be imprisoned for the duration of twenty years and you are forbidden to ever return to Louisiana and Arkansas."

The reaction in the room is one of shock at what they see as the harshness of the sentence, I however, am overjoyed, I grip Eric's hand and he sends me wave after wave of love, relief and unadulterated joy through the bond.

I watch as Sandy Sechrest stands, "I would like to take this opportunity to formally request the monarchy of Louisiana and Arkansas, I cannot and will not remain in Nevada after hearing the evidence against my king, I renounce my fealty to him from this point" she says.

Eric stands and walks over to Sandy and kneels in front of her "I accept you as my Queen and I offer you my fealty" he says.

Pam and Thalia follow and do the same and then the other area sheriffs do the same, Felipe gasps when he sees them abandon him as they were all Nevada vampires put in place at the take over when the other sheriffs were killed.

I watch as Eric talks with the new vampire queen of Louisiana and then he looks towards me and holds out his hand, I walk towards him and the vampires turn to look at me as Eric pulls me close.

"Mrs Northman I look forward to doing business with you" Sandy says and I smile and nod. Suddenly I yawn, I try and stifle it but the relief knowing that everything is over has just hit me and I am overwhelmed by a sudden tiredness.

Eric looks around at the gathered vampires, "My wife is tiring, if you will excuse us" he says apologetically.

There are nods and Eric leads me from the room. As soon as we are outside he turns and kisses me.

"You were magnificent" he says.

"Thank you" I say I reach up and whisper in his ear, "I heard you" I say and he looks at me in surprise.

I nod, "when you were telling them that it was all a part of your plan to let me think I was in charge of when and if I got turned" I say.

Eric nods, "I felt your confusion and pain you were questioning my motives and I willed you to believe that it was just a version of events acceptable to the situation" he says.

"And I did" I say and kiss him.

"Lets get back" Eric says and we leave and head back to Stan's palace. We pack up our things and Stan arrives and gushes with compliments on how I handled myself.

"Sheriff, Mrs Northman I hope you have had an enjoyable stay" Stan says.

Eric nods and thanks him for his hospitality, we head up to our room, we are leaving tomorrow during the day, I have arranged for us to be transported back to Shreveport during the daytime so that we can be back home when Eric rises tomorrow night.

"I will bid you goodnight Mrs Northman, as you will be gone by the time I rise tomorrow" Stan says.

I nod and bow slightly, "Thank you for your kind hospitality" I say politely.

"It has been my pleasure" he replies. He turns to Eric, "You must inform me when your delightful wife joins us" he says.

Eric tells him he will and Stan turns to me once more, "I believe you will make an exceptional vampire" he says.

"Thank you" I reply, not really knowing what else to say to that.

We retire to our room and Eric locks the door. He shepherds me towards the bed undressing me as he goes, he has only one thing on his mind but I have questions.

"Eric what will happen to Felipe?" I ask.

He pauses, "he will be incarcerated in silver chains for twenty years" he says with a shrug.

"But he is still king, won't that mean he is vulnerable to take over by another state?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "Not our problem, Nevada is not in Amun clan, it is Narayana."

"Why was the Amun clan summit amalgamated with the Zeus one?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "I have no idea, my best guess would be the fact everyone wanted this situation cleared up as quickly as possible and the opportunity presented itself, plus the geographical location of Zeus to Narayana gave the opportunity for the Zeus clan to show its disapproval of the actions of Felipe by standing with Amun" he says.

"It's all a game of politics where everyone dances around each other" I say.

"Yes" Eric agrees. He then pulls me close. "Have you finished asking questions because I have intentions of my own tonight before you go to sleep" he says.

I grin at him and wrap my arms around him, "Oh and what would those intentions be?" I ask.

Eric growls and rips away the remaining clothing I am wearing.

"Oh I see, that was pretty conclusive" I say as I look at the tattered clothing beside me and I pull him down on to the bed and we are soon lost in each other.


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

I am on edge all day as we fly back to Louisiana, Eric made the arrangements and I am relieved to see the van and car waiting for us as the plane lands.

Eventually I can relax as we reach Eric's house, the van is parked in the garage and this is where Eric and Pam will rise from tonight. Thalia will be returning from Dallas after she rises tonight.

After making sure the garage is totally secure, I spend the remainder of the day working at Fangtasia and I also spend time with Mr Cataliades working on the contract to put to prospective clients who want to hire my telepathy services. As there is a lull in the conversation, I decide to tell him of my other big decision.

"I'm going to become a vampire, I have decided to let Eric turn me," I say.

Mr Cataliades looks at me in surprise. "I see" he says. "I did wonder why that was discussed in the trial, I assumed it was just a smokescreen, so it is definitely happening?" he says.

"It is, I realised I really do want it, and I know Eric does" I say.

"I see" he says again.

"Eric seems to think that when he turns me it will enhance my gift" I say.

Mr Cataliades nods, "That is very probable" he says.

"Is there a chance I could pass it on to Eric?" I ask.

Mr Cataliades thinks about this and shakes his head, "I don't know, it could be argued that it is doubtful as Eric is technically dead, however on the other hand because he contains some form of supernatural magic to be what he is, there could be every chance you could pass on your gift to some degree" he says.

"We are incredibly close, Eric said our bond is stronger than that of a maker and child he said it wasn't normal how we are" I say.

"I see, well in that case I would say it could be a strong possibility that you will pass on your gift to Eric" he says. "Why do you wish to become a vampire?" he asks after a moment silence.

I smile as I think about Eric, "Because I love him and I want to always be with him, I don't want him to watch me get old and die. Eric has put himself in some terrible situations all because of his love for me, he has been prepared to be seen by other vampires as weak, he was prepared to go into that trial with the real possibility that he could be found guilty of treason against a vampire monarch and sentenced to death, he did all that because he loves me, so it's about time I showed him how much he means to me, I love him and yet I have never really appreciated how much he loves me" I say.

"Your response is very persuasive, and I totally understand your motives, have you spoken to your family about this monumental decision?" he asks.

I nod, "I have spoken to Jason and he is happy for me as long as it's my idea and I spoke to my friend Sam and he said pretty much the same thing" I say.

"What about your great grandfather?" Mr Cataliades asks.

I shake my head, "I can't talk to him he has gone back to the Faery, not that I would want to" I say.

"You could still contact him via me" he says.

I shake my head again, "No he was never really interested in me only in the Cluviel Dor and his greed caused a lot of pain and a lot of people to die, so I am not interested in seeking his opinion" I say.

Mr Cataliades nods "I cannot argue or disagree with that assessment" he says.

We return to the contract we have been working on and Mr Cataliades goes through it with me and gives me a copy for Eric to read, to see if he can come up with anything. I am happy with the result; as far as I am concerned it is totally watertight and should create a good living for myself and Eric. I glance at my watch and cry out in surprise.

"Hell I need to get back, Eric will be rising soon" I say.

Mr Cataliades gathers up his paperwork and we walk out of Fangtasia together. I head home just as the sun is setting and fumbling with the security I rush into the garage area. The back of the van opens and Eric and Pam appear, Pam stretches and Eric closes the van door.

"My wife" he says holding out his arms to me.

"Hi" I say and jump into those waiting arms.

"See you later" Pam says and she vanishes out of the door leaving Eric and I alone.

Eric nuzzles me and I automatically tilt my head and he feeds from me. "What are you going to do about your first feed after you rise, when you turn me?" I ask.

"I will return to drinking bottled blood and going hunting" he says.

"Will I have bottled blood?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "Not at first, you can have some but you will have to have donors as your main source of food and I will teach you to hunt, baby vampires cannot survive on bottled blood alone, the hunger is too great in the early days" he explains.

We go inside and I turn to face him, "Eric you know how I asked about you and you weren't too keen to tell me, well I've been thinking if I am to become a vampire then I will technically be related to Ocella as well even though he is dead so I was wondering if you..." I trail off as Eric fixes me with a cold glare.

"Sookie, Ocella was a sadistic son of a bitch, he did unthinkable things to me, it is possible that when I turn you, you will discover this for yourself as our bond is so strong I could easily pass on my memories to you, plus I carry Ocella's blood in me, you will understand if that happens why I haven't willingly talked about it" he says.

"Ok, I'm sorry" I say slightly disappointed.

"I will tell you about some things after I have turned you, you will be a vampire then and you will see things differently, you won't be so horrified" Eric says.

"Ok do you promise?" I ask, I realise that this is a big concession and I grab it with both hands.

"I promise" Eric says solemnly, "So, you still wish to become a vampire?" Eric then asks looking at me with pride.

I nod enthusiastically "Yes, I want to be with you for ever and I don't want any other living being questioning you or your strength, honour and integrity again" I say fiercely.

Eric smiles, "You need to know what this will mean for you" he says, he leads me over to the sofa and pulls me into his lap.

"To start with, there is the obvious difference that you will not be awake during the daytime, so for daytime chores we will have to engage a new day person. You will be hungry, when a person first becomes a vampire it is a great change and they need the blood to maintain those new physical changes which until controlled causes a craving so great that unless I control you will result in many humans dying. You won't be able to help it, I will be there and I'll teach you to feed safely and to hunt correctly. You will no longer have any humanity you won't process things the same way as you do now, what will seem perfectly natural to you will appear to humans to be cold and heartless" he pauses and looks at me carefully to make sure I am taking it all in.

"I will teach you the things you will need to know to keep you alive, although you already know much of that through spending time around vampires, I will take you away from here for some intensive training and where you can learn to hunt without fear of human reprisal" he says.

"Will I be hunting humans?" I ask.

Eric nods, "Yes, it is a skill you need to learn, yes we have synthetic blood available to us here but there are parts of this country and abroad where that commodity won't be as readily available, so you will need to know how to survive in those circumstances, I will teach you to hunt and feed safely and then to glamour your prey so that they believe nothing has happened to them" he says, "do you have any questions Sookie?" he asks.

"Will it hurt when you turn me?" I ask.

"No, I will make the experience as pleasurable for you as I can, it will be like when I feed from you, except that I won't stop, I will drain you to the point of death and then give you my blood to drink to restore you, you will fall asleep and when you awaken you will be a vampire" he says.

"Will we still be able to drink from each other afterwards, like when we...?" I trail off and Eric smiles.

"When we have sex, yes Sookie and I assure you that it will be even more pleasurable than it is now" he says.

"Will I go to sleep in the earth?" I ask.

"If you wish, it is traditionally the way things are done, I bury you and stay with you in the earth so I am there when you rise, but if you preferred to stay at home in the comfort of our room we could also do that" he says.

I think about it, "Can we go to Bon Temps and be buried in the ground there, because you are giving me this, so it feels right for me to give something to you, my great grandfather said there was Fae magic in the land I would like you to experience that" I say.

"Alright if that is what you want, that is what we shall do" he says.

I hug him "Thank you, when are we doing it?" I ask excitedly.

"That depends on you, how much you want to prepare, you have to remember you will be the person you were when you died for ever so if you want to cut your hair or do anything you do it before you are turned as any changes afterwards will reverse every dawn".

"Ok" I say and I run my fingers through Eric's long hair, "So if you cut your hair short now, tomorrow night when you rise it will be long again?" I ask.

"Yes" Eric says.

I smile, "I can have some fun with that, I could give myself all the haircuts I have always dreamed of but never had the nerve to go through with, because my hair will be back to normal the next night" I say.

Eric laughs and holds me close.

"Who will be there when I rise for the first time?" I ask.

"I will and anyone else you wish to witness it" he says.

"I'd like Pam to be there and Thalia, but if she doesn't want to I get it" I say.

"You can ask them later" Eric says.

I think carefully and look up at Eric, can we do it tomorrow, I don't want to wait?" I ask.

His eyebrows rise in surprise, "so soon are you sure?" he asks.

"Yes" I say confidently.

"Alright then it will be done tomorrow" he says.

Eric takes me to Fangtasia and gathers all the vampires into his office, Thalia has returned from Dallas and everyone looks expectantly at Eric.

"I have joyous news, my wife has asked to join us, she will become one of us and I will be honoured to be her maker, tomorrow night we are travelling to Bon Temps and I will complete the siring and then the next night we shall both rise" I hear the exclamations around the room everyone seems happy with this news, Pam is beaming at us both and even Thalia looks pleased. They all welcome me and make encouraging comments as they file away.

As the vampires leave the room Eric calls to Pam and Thalia to stay. "Sookie wishes for you two to witness her first rising" Eric says to them when we are all alone.

Pam nods enthusiastically and Thalia after a moment's hesitation mutters "I will".

"Do you plan a traditional rising?" Thalia asks me, I look at Eric for guidance as I am wondering what she means.

"My wife wishes to be buried in the earth of her home in Bon Temps" Eric says.

Pam's eyes widen, "That earth is filled with Fae magic" she says.

I turn to Pam, "I know, that is why I want to go there, Eric will be buried with me, and that is all I can give him, he is giving me the gift of becoming a vampire, if I can give him something from the magic in the earth in return as my gift to him" I say.

"Agreeing to join us is gift enough my wife" Eric says and he kisses me.

Thalia looks at me, "you have made a sensible decision" she turns to Eric, "With your permission sheriff I would like to help you train her in our ways?" she says.

"I have no objection" Eric says and he turns to Pam, "you will also have a role to play with your new sister" he says and Pam grins at me.

I giggle suddenly and the three vampires look at me in surprise. "Sorry" I say, "I just thought of something a bit weird, Pam is Eric's child I am his wife so after tomorrow Pam's step mom will be her little sister" I say.

Eric roars with laughter and Pam smiles politely.

"That is a typical human response" Thalia says sourly.

"Sorry" I say again.

**oooOOOooo**

The next evening when Eric rises, we drive over to Bon Temps I am buzzing with excitement and Eric can feel it through the bond, we are alone tonight as Eric decided that I would be more comfortable completing the ritual in private.

We pull up at my old house and we head inside, there is hardly anything here now, just the basics, I look around, Eric has brought some bottles of blood and he places them in the refrigerator. I watch him carefully.

"When I rise tomorrow will I be hungry immediately?" I ask.

"Yes, but don't worry, donors have been arranged for your first feed" he says.

"What if..." I stop.

"You won't harm them, I won't allow it, you will know instinctively how to feed, what you won't know is when to stop and I will be there to help you" he says.

"Ok" I say.

"Sookie during the first few weeks I will say the words 'as your maker I order you' quite a bit, this will always be for a good reason, if you are in danger of killing a donor or if you put yourself in any danger, I will say these words, when you are a vampire and you will be compelled to obey me, but I promise you, I will only order you when you place yourself or someone else in danger, I will not abuse my advantage over you in any other way, you have my word" he says.

I consider his words and agree to what he says.

I glance out of the window and see a figure lurking outside, Eric turns and looks, he is on alert and ready to attack but I have a good idea who it is and I head to the door.

"Its ok Eric, it's only Bill" I say as I see the familiar shape of Bill Compton in the shadows. "What do you want Bill?" I ask.

"I have heard a disturbing rumour" he says.

I sigh, "And what would that be?" I ask.

"That you have come here tonight to allow Eric to turn you" he says, his voice cracks slightly as he says this.

"That's right, it's not a rumour it is fact, it is going to happen - not that it's any of your business" I say.

"Sweetheart what are you thinking?" Bill asks.

I start to get angry, "First of all I'm not your sweetheart and secondly it is none of your damn business, the decisions I make only concern me and my husband" I snap.

"You always said you never wanted to become a vampire" Bill says accusingly.

I shrug, "A girl can change her mind, and I'll ask again what the hell does it have to do with you?" Eric is now beside me now his arm wrapped protectively around me.

"What have you done to her?" Bill snarls.

Eric smiles smugly, "It was all Sookie's idea" he says.

"I don't believe it and I won't allow it" he says and he storms towards the house.

"Bill Compton I rescind your invitation" I shout and Bill stops dead on the threshold of the house.

"Sookie please" he whines.

I can feel Eric's anger rising and he steps away from me and I hear him making a call.

I return my attention to Bill who is still pleading with me not to do this,"Don't do this Bill, I have made my decision, I love my husband and he has put me first the whole time we have been together" I say.

"He has really done a number on you hasn't he?" Bill spits.

I am getting really angry now, "No Bill, he hasn't because he isn't you" I snap.

I see this hits him hard, "I won't let you do this Sookie" he says.

I step outside and walk towards Bill, "I swear to god Bill Compton you spoil tonight for me and I will stake you" I say.

"But I love you" he whines.

"I don't love you, in fact at this moment I hate you Bill" I say, "why are you doing this?"

"I'm not letting you do this Sookie, please sweetheart you will regret this, this life is not for you" he says.

I shake my head in exasperation, "Bill I want this, I have asked for this, and Eric is going to be my maker – I know you were turned against your will and you have always felt bitter about it, but I have been given the choice and Eric loves me, as my friend please accept my decision" I say.

"Sookie, please" Bill whines again and he is really making me angry now, I decide the best thing to do is just get away.

I turn to go back inside and I feel Bills cold hand on my arm, I whip around and punch him and its like punching a brick wall, and this makes me even angrier, "JUST GET OFF ME BILL" I yell anger coursing through me as I cradle my damaged fist. But he still doesn't release me.

There is a flash and the next thing I have been released and Bill is in a heap on the floor and Eric is standing over him snarling. Then there is movement in the trees and Pam appears. She looks at the scene in front of her.

"Really?" she says, "I have better things to do than baby sit this reptile all night?" she says pointing at Bill.

"He wants to stop Eric turning me" I say through gritted teeth as the pain throbs in my hand.

"Ok" Pam says and roughly pulls Bill to his feet, "Come on Billy boy lets get you home" she says and she frog marches him into the trees.

"Sookie please sweetheart you are making a huge mistake" Bill calls.

"Will you shut up" I hear Pam snap.

Once they are gone Eric gently takes my hand in his and examines it.

"Not one of your best ideas my love" he says with a hint of amusement.

I shrug, and Eric bites his wrist and offers it to me, I drink his blood and the pain stops and moments later my hand feels normal again.

"Thank you" I say.

"Come, lets go inside" Eric says.

Eric leads me upstairs and we have a shower, he washes me gently and then carries me into the bedroom and dries me, he brushes my hair and braids it.

"It will be easier when you rise from the earth if it is braided" he explains.

I nod then slowly Eric leads me to the bed, he settles himself and pulls me into his lap and he runs his cool hands all over my body I shiver and lean into him, he kisses me and I tilt my head

"Not yet" he whispers, "I want to make love to you with you as a human one more time" he says.

"Ok" I say.

I close my eyes as Eric thoroughly seduces me, I cry out as he thrusts so slowly inside me, and I wrap my legs around him.

"You are amazing" he moans in my ear as he thrusts into me, his pace increasing.

"So are you" I reply and I wrap my arms around him and grip him to me.

"This is best" he gasps as he thrusts harder.

We both climax and Eric cries out in a foreign language as I call out his name.

"Perfect" he says and kisses me.

He gently pulls out of me and lovingly wipes me clean, before settling us once more on the bed.

"Are you ready?" he asks me.

"I am" I say and I feel my heart rate increasing slightly.

"Sookie are you sure about this, you can still say no" he says.

I turn and look up at him, "I am sure" I say.

Eric nods and gently licks my neck and suckles plumping my jugular, his hands once more caress me and then he pauses, "Ready?" he asks.

I nod.

"I am going to bite you now, I will make it pleasurable, it will be like when I feed from you, but then you will start to feel drowsy, you will fall asleep and the next thing you will know is when you rise for the first time tomorrow" he says.

"Ok" I say.

"Sookie look at me" he says and I turn to look at him, he gazes into my eyes and I marvel at the blueness of his.

"Are you sure my wife, you truly want this?" he asks.

"I am sure" I say.

"I love you and I am honoured to be your maker" Eric whispers and with that he sinks his fangs into my neck.

"I love you too Eric" I reply.

As he promised he makes it feel pleasurable and as he continues to feed from me I feel myself getting sleepy and light headed, I close my eyes and Eric strokes me and gently sways as he drains me of my blood.

I feel myself drifting and ...blackness...silence.

I open my eyes, I feel damp, I move and there is a heavy weight on me, as I do so I hear loud voices, someone is shouting, I hear more voices and I reach out and someone grabs my outstretched hand and I get the sensation of being pulled and the weight being shifted from me.

I feel disorientated and strange, everything is so loud and bright, and yet its dark, it's night time but everything is as clear as if it is the middle of the day, I am confused and stare wildly around me flinching at every sound, I feel like I am being bombarded with sensation, sight, smell and sound all hitting me in a barrage.

"Sookie?" I turn hissing loudly and sink into a crouch I feel as though I want to fight, then it all comes back to me, I have risen, I am now a vampire that is why everything appears clearer, louder and smellier.

I slowly unfold from the crouch and look around and I see Eric looking carefully at me, "Sookie" he says again and he reaches for me.

"Eric?" I ask.

He smiles with relief and pulls me into his arms.

"My wife and my progeny you have risen" he says.

"Welcome" I turn at the voice and see Thalia she is smiling but the sight no longer appears scary I nod at her.

"Hello Thalia" I say.

I look around for Pam, "Where is Pam?" I ask.

"Right here" comes her voice I turn towards it and see her with a knee in Bill Compton's throat. The shouting I heard earlier now seems to make sense.

I stare at him and I feel my fangs descend which distracts me and I touch them with my finger.

"Do you want to see your beautiful fangs my wife?" Eric asks and he hands me a mirror

I shake my head "Later, I have something I need to do first" I say, my eyes fixed on Bill Compton, I walk over to him and Eric is at my side, Thalia watches from a distance, just observing what I do. I am aware of everything around me and it makes me feel...powerful, I look down at Bill who is sprawled on the ground still pinned by Pam who is also watching me carefully.

"Do you like my new fangs Bill?" I ask the helpless vampire.

"Oh Sookie" he replies sadly.

I reach down and Pam moves and I pull Bill roughly to his feet, I am momentarily shocked at the strength I have and I think Eric is too from the reaction I feel from him.

"You ever try and interfere in my life again and I swear I will kill you, I won't hesitate I will stake you, now get out of my sight" I say coldly and I drop him to the ground, he gets up and scrambles away without another word.

I turn to Eric, who is smiling proudly "I'm hungry" I say.

Thalia approaches with a woman I look at her and open up my mind up to her and immediately I know she has been glamoured but the thing which surprises me most is I can hear Eric's thoughts clearly but only when I focus on him.

I look at him, _thank you for my first meal _

He looks momentarily shocked and then he smiles, _you are welcome my wife, enjoy _he says in his head.

I look at the girl and I can hear the blood rushing through her veins, I lick her neck and then sink my fangs in, the blood touches my tongue and my eyes go wide at the taste it tastes wonderful I start to suck hungrily.

"Sookie" Eric warns.

I ignore him and carry on drinking, gulping greedily.

"Sookie as your maker I command you to stop" Eric says firmly.

It's like someone has just slapped me and I immediately pull away, I look at the girl.

"Did I kill her?" I ask as I wipe the blood from my mouth and then lick it from my hand.

Eric smiles, "No she will be fine, but you must heal her wounds" he says.

I lick the bite marks and watch as they slowly disappear.

Eric takes the girl and looks into her face and tells her she was walking home and decided to take a different route, the girl nods and walks away.

"I'm still hungry" I say and Thalia smiles again, another donor is brought forward this time a man, I feed from him and I am surprised he tastes a little different. After a moment or so I pull away and the three vampires stare at me in shock.

"Is everything alright?" Eric asks.

I nod, "I felt his pulse slowing I knew I had to stop" I say.

"Amazing!" Pam says.

"She is a good strong vampire and her self control is outstanding" Thalia says.

"Sookie you astound me and make me so proud" Eric says.

I remember the man who I am still gripping and I heal his wounds and I look him in the eye and force my will on to him, "You never saw us you are on your way home and took a different route" I say and the man nods at me.

I glance at Eric questioningly, "Did I do it right?" I ask.

"You were perfect" he says. I let the man go and he wanders away.

Pam looks at me in surprise and turns to Eric "She is outstanding Eric, such understanding for a newborn is rare if not unheard of, and I can't believe how she tossed Compton about like a tissue."

"It must be the earth, the Fae magic - it has had a positive effect on her, it appears to have eliminated the usual issues a newborn vampire faces and it has given her added strength, I feel different too, the earth has revitalised me, I feel rejuvenated, stronger and physically fitter, everything is better" he says.

Pam surprises me when she pulls me into a hug, "we are going now, and it was an honour to watch you rise my sister."

"Thank you Pam" I say.

"Welcome Sookie I shall look forward to working with you" Thalia says.

With that the two women disappear.

Eric takes my hand and leads me into the house, he undresses me and we have a shower and he lovingly washes and dries me, I pause and look in the mirror at my fangs and touch them with my finger. Eric watches me carefully as I run my tongue over them.

"You look beautiful" he tells me and turns me towards him he kisses me and licks my fangs with his tongue, the sensation drives me crazy and I start clawing at his clothing. Eric laughs and carries me into the bedroom and with a snarl I grab him and hurl him on the bed, he looks astonished and then he grabs me and pinning me down he makes love to me, but there none of the sweet and gentle love making of the previous night, this is raw and primal and I realise just how much Eric was holding back previously, we tear at each other its wild and its crazed and as I reach my completion I sink my fangs into Eric's neck and drink, he growls and it tips him over the edge and he roars out something in the same foreign language he always speaks in.

I pull away and look up into his face, "You are really going to have to teach me that language" I say.

Eric laughs and pulls me closer.

"Tell me what you said?" I demand.

"I said my love, my life my world" he says and I stare into his eyes and see the love and sincerity shining from them.

Eric grabs my neck and drinks from me and once again starts pounding into me, bringing us both to yet another orgasm. We are both dazed and spent as he pulls out of me and lies beside me.

"How do you feel?" he asks me, I turn to face him.

"Wow!" I say and he laughs, "How about you?" I ask.

"Phenomenal! I have never had sex like that ever in all the years I have existed that was ...unreal" he says. He wraps his arm around me and pulling me close he kisses me. We lie there and eventually I start to feel hungry again and so we get dressed and he leads me downstairs and pulls out some bottled blood.

"This will stop the craving until another donor can be found for you" he says.

I open the bottle and drink it down and Eric smiles at me proudly.

"So shall we investigate what gifts you have?" he asks.

"Well I can hear you – your thoughts" I say.

"And I can hear you, this will be most useful to us especially while I am teaching you" he says, "can you hear other vampires?" he asks.

I shrug, "I didn't check, as it appears I can control my gift now, turn it on and off at will and pick people I want to listen to and shut out others without any effort" I say.

"That is good" Eric says.

"I feel so good" I say.

"That is normal" Eric replies.

"Shall we go outside and see if I have given you my gift of flight?" he says.

"Does Pam have it?" I ask.

Eric nods, "yes she does but she doesn't like it and so she never uses it, she prefers to run" he says.

We walk outside and Eric stands beside me, "Ok look up and imagine yourself in the air and then jump" he says.

I do this and the next thing I am about ten feet up in the air, I squeal with delight and Eric is beside me hovering in the air.

"You can fly" he says.

"This is ...wow...I love this" I say and I shoot through the air, Eric flies alongside me.

"Come, let's go back" he says eventually after a few moments' aerial acrobatics.

"Do we have to?" I ask.

"Yes my love, you will use up a lot of energy flying and it will make you hungry again" he says.

"Ok" I say with more than a hint of disappointment in my voice.

We swoop down into the yard and I crash land into the ground, Eric lands perfectly next to me and lifts me laughing.

"Your landing could have been better" he says.

"You can say that again!" I say as I dust myself down.

Eric laughs again, "You will get the hang of it" he assures me.

"Eric will you take me home now...no wait can we go to Fangtasia?" I ask filled with excitement.

Eric looks dubiously at me, "Fangtasia may be too much for you, all those humans around you all the sensation, you may not be able to control yourself" he says.

"Please, I promise to do exactly as you tell me" I say "I want to be with the other vampires" I say.

Eric smiles indulgently, "Very well, but you must stay close to me" he says.

I nod, "Can we fly?" I ask hopefully.

"Hold on to me, and I will carry you then as we get nearer you may fly a little" he says.

"Alright" I say and I wrap myself around him as he shoots into the sky.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Eric wraps his arms around me and guides me down as we land in the car park at Fangtasia and he grips my hand tightly.

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"Maybe a little" I say.

He nods and leads me over to the bushes instead of towards the club.

"We are going to hunt before we go in" he says to me.

"Ok" I say.

"Right, you can do this several ways but safest for us and the most humane for the humans in this day and age especially in a city where there are too many witnesses, is the friendly approach which requires some self control, there are plenty of fang bangers around here desperate to offer themselves and technically speaking they are the only humans you can feed from - willing donors, but most of them are junkies so you avoid them, you pick someone who looks healthy and start conversations with them nice and friendly and then you glamour them, feed, heal and re glamour them before you send them on their way" he says.

"If we were somewhere rural and there was no chance of being seen, then you could hunt properly which I will teach you to do but as we are where we are and we are supposed to be mainstreaming this way is necessary for the humans and for our survival, do you understand?"

"Ok" I say, understanding for the first time the illusion of mainstreaming wasn't as human friendly as the vampire community tried to make out. But the thing which surprises me most is how I accept that now that I am a vampire it seems logical and I have no moral dilemma about it. People equal food end of story.

"Right so we are going to watch for someone suitable, you are going to pick your target and make the contact I will only step in if you get into difficulty, as I believe you can do this" he says.

I swell with pride in the confidence Eric has in me and I am determined not to let him down. I watch the car park and moments later I see a suitable person.

"Her" I whisper, pointing out a healthy looking girl fumbling in her purse.

"Excellent choice" Eric says.

I watch and there is nobody else around so at vampire speed I head over to her and then slowing I 'accidentally' bump into her. I can hear her blood pumping around her body and the excitement rises in me, I feel a rush of calm through the bond and I know Eric is trying to control my reactions.

"Oh god I'm sorry" I say as she spills her purse everywhere, "here let me help you" I say.

"Thank you, it was my fault I wasn't looking where I was going, I was searching for my car keys" she says.

I pick up her things and slip her car keys into my pocket, I hand her the rest of the things and she pushes them into her purse and as she looks at me I make the eye connection and press my will on to her.

"You want to come with me over here and you are going to keep quiet" I say.

She nods and follows me, as soon as we are in the shadows I grab her and sink my fangs into her neck and drink, Eric watches carefully and just as he raises his hand to signal me to stop I feel the woman's pulse start to slow and I pull away, I lick the wounds and quickly heal them then turn her to face me, I place her car keys in her hand "you are going to your car and you are going home, you didn't see anyone" I say and she nods and walks away.

I look at Eric and he smiles, "You are a natural, your self control is quite astonishing, I am so proud of you" he says. "Do you still feel hungry?" he asks.

I shake my head.

"Good, right we are going to go inside, it could be a little over powering for you, I will be with you, if it is too much we will go into my office for a while, tell me with your mind" he says.

"Ok" I say.

"Ready?" he asks.

"I am" I say and we walk towards the club.

We go in through the back entrance and the noise is so loud with my more acute vampire hearing, Eric watches my reaction as we approach the main area. As Eric pushes the door open all the vampires turn as one to see. I open up my mind and concentrate on each vampire in turn, I can hear them clearly.

Indira thinks _Oh my god what is he thinking, bringing a newborn here?_

Jock the new barman is thinking _I hope he keeps a firm hold on her._

Then I hear a kinder thought, _she is astounding, I can't believe how calm she is at only a few hours old,_ I look and that is coming from Pam, I smile at my new sister.

Then Eric speaks to me via my mind, _Sookie can you hear me, are you alright?_

_I'm fine some of the vampires are worried that I'm not going to be able to control myself._

_You can hear them then? _ Eric asks.

_Yes, can't you?_ I ask.

_No, which means my version of your gift must be just between you and I, we will go and sit in the end booth._ He leads me over to the booth and ushers me in.

Almost immediately Thalia walks over with two bottles of Trueblood.

"Is this wise Sheriff?" she asks in a tone so quiet that only vampires could hear.

"She'll be fine, she has hunted and she showed the same control as she did previously" he replies confidently.

Thalia looks at me, "really?" she says.

I nod proudly, "I did" I say in the same quiet tone.

I sit taking everything in, and trying out my new improved mind reading skill, I can pick out people and amplify their thoughts, I see some of the airmen from the Barksdale Base and I know that a few of them are Weres in Alcide's pack and they are staring at me. I could never hear Weres very well so I take this opportunity to listen and see if they are any clearer now, I am delighted to discover that they are now as clear as a bell, so I listen.

_Hell, wait till Alcide hears about this, Sookie is now a vamp._

_Oh my god, Alcide is going to flip when he hears about this._

_That will put pay to her friend of the pack status._

_I can't believe she let them turn her._

_I wonder if she was forced into become a vamp?_

I have heard enough and I 'speak' to Eric, _I can hear Weres now as well, some of those guys over there are in the Longtooth pack and they aren't pleased that I am now a vampire_

Eric's head turns towards the men who are staring at us, _what are they thinking? _He asks.

_Pretty much what the hell have I done? Was I forced? Why have I let you turn me? That Alcide is going to be mad about it and also that it will put pay to my friend of the pack status _I say.

Eric reaches for my hand and squeezes reassuringly.

I look up at him, _I love you _I say with my mind and Eric smiles, but then I feel him tense and I see something has taken his attention I follow his gaze and I nearly fall off my seat in shock.

_It appears we have company_ Eric says to me wryly.

I just sit unable to speak, my mouth hanging open at the figure standing a few feet away, none of the humans appear to be taking the blindest bit of notice but all the vampires can see him and are all on alert, and keep looking towards Eric nervously.

"What the hell is he doing here?" I whisper, "And how could he come here?" I ask.

"Good evening great grand daughter" the man says as he approaches us.

"Niall" I say sharply.

"So the news I received is true?" he says giving Eric a poisonous look.

"What news would that be Niall?" I ask a little defensively.

"That you have given yourself totally to this one" he says nodding his towards Eric.

I feel my anger rising immediately, "Hey, this one has a name and this one is my husband, and this one owns this bar, so you show him some damn respect while you are standing in his club" I say.

Niall's shock at the way I spoke to him turns to anger and is palpable as he turns his attention to me "You had royal Fae blood in your veins and you gave it to him?" He says.

I nod, "yes I did, because I love him" I say simply.

Niall turns his fury on Eric and I hear the vampires hissing and growling from across the other side of the room and Thalia has a murderous expression on her face.

"You... vampire, you took my kin and turned her into an abomination" he thunders, this makes raw unadulterated fury spread through me and I leap to my feet and get right in front of Niall.

"How dare you, you come here and you insult my husband, and every vampire in this building including myself, you should leave now" I say.

My reaction momentarily startles Niall with its intensity and he returns his attention to me "You are my great grand daughter why did you do it?" he asks in a softer tone.

Eric has moved closer and reaches for me I feel him there and I grip his hand tightly, "Because I love him and because previously I was too blind and stubborn to see how much Eric loved me" I say.

"You were repaying him, you allowed him to turn you because of your unfounded guilt?" Niall asks incredulously.

I shake my head, "No he has made allowances for me, concessions and some of the things he has done has made other vampires question his leadership and strength and in some cases his sanity, and he has put himself in physical danger for me, a human as I was, he risked everything for me, and I always questioned why he did it and I always assumed it was because there must have been some ulterior motive, something in it for him when there wasn't, he did it because he loved me, and I was ashamed that I didn't have the faith and trust in my husband that he had in me and I decided to prove to him and myself that I was worthy of his love and anyway, I don't want him to watch me grow old and die" I say.

I have no idea if what I have just said which can be heard by every vampire in the building will make things worse but at this moment I don't care, I just want Niall to know how much Eric means to me.

Niall shakes his head sadly, "You had royal Fae blood Sookie and you gave it to ...him, how can you be sure he will be worthy of that sacrifice, how can you be sure his love is as true as yours?" Niall asks.

I leap towards Niall my fangs starting to come down and I am snarling, and as quick as a flash Eric grabs me and pulls me back, and I am struggling to free myself from his grasp, but he holds me in a grip of iron.

"ENOUGH" I shout.

I glance around, but none of the humans have noticed anything and are continuing with their drinks and conversations as if we weren't even there. I lean towards Niall as much as I can whilst in Eric's grip, I am so angry my fangs have fully descended and all the vampires have closed in around us, for the first time I see a hint of fear in Niall's eyes as he watches me wildly struggling to free myself.

"I can be sure of him, I am surer of his love for me than am of yours. He has more honour and love in his little finger than you have in your entire body. You were never interested in me, you ignored your sons orders and came after me, you put me in danger through selfish greed, not because you wanted to know me at all, all you wanted was the Cluviel Dor, that is the only reason you sought me out, you wanted to steal that from me, that was why you made yourself known to me, and that is why you sent Claude to live with me, to help you find it, because you are selfish and greedy and you wanted the power of the Cluviel Dor all to yourself and it is because of you that Claudine and her baby died and that Trey died and Clancy died, three more people who had more honour than you, four if you count Claudine's innocent little baby, and why? Because you are a greedy selfish old man" I hiss.

"Oh and while we are on the subject, who did you use to first make the contact with me? Oh yes that's right, Eric, my husband, he was good enough for you to use then, when you were pursuing your selfish greed and you admitted that he refused to help you until you told him what you were to me, doesn't that tell you he cared about me? He was protecting me from you and don't forget you told me yourself that 'the vampire loved me'."

I pause I am so angry I am trembling. "All you wanted was a Fae trinket, that was why you showered me with your attention, you weren't interested in my brother who was also your kin and you weren't interested in Hadley's son who is also your kin, just me, and that was because you thought I had something you wanted, well here's the kicker Niall, I found it and I don't have it any more, because I used it, I used it to save the life of a human, so off you go, go back to the faery because there is no reason for you to come sniffing around here again because what you desire is now gone forever" I say waving my hand dismissively as though I am shooing him away.

There is a blinding flash of light and I see Niall in his true form, he is trying to intimidate me but I am just too angry.

"Sookie" I hear a call, and Jock throws me what looks like an old spike.

I catch it deftly and I realise it is iron, I wave it Niall, "Leave now, before I ram this into you" I say.

He looks at the iron spike in my hand and shakes his head sadly.

"You have made an enemy of me vampire" he says, I think he is speaking to Eric but then I realise it is me he is addressing.

I shrug, "Nothing new there, I have made enemies before and the majority of them are all dead now" I say dismissively.

I see Pam smirk and the vampires are all circling it's like a stand off.

"Niall I think you should leave, you have my word that I will honour and protect your great granddaughter" Eric says quietly.

Niall sneers at him, "that vampire is no longer my kin, she is filled with your blood now not mine" he says.

"Then why do you stay and prolong this?" Eric asks simply.

"Out of respect for her and you I have held her back but I am going to let my wife go in a moment and whatever she does I won't stop her, you have publicly threatened her, a threat spoken in front of many witnesses, that my wife is now your enemy" he says.

Niall looks around the room "I am the Crown Prince of the Sky Fae" he says grandly.

I shrug, "yeah you might be, but you and that title mean nothing to me" I say coldly, I turn towards Eric, "If I kill him what's the worst that could happen?" I ask.

Niall looks shocked by my calm question and I hear Pam snigger.

Eric's head whips around and he looks shocked _Outright war with the Fae – don't do it Sookie don't make me command you not to_ he says to me telepathically.

I smile and lower the spike, I turn and look at Niall derisively, "You know what, Niall you're not worth the bother or my effort, but trust me if you come after me or any of these vampires I won't hesitate I will kill you."

I see the shock on Niall's face "You have lost all your humanity" he whispers.

I shrug, "Maybe, but I have gained much more and I am proud of who I am, and who I have become and I understand the value of family and trust and loyalty and Eric is my family now because he has earned my trust, but you..." I shake my head.

"Now please leave Niall, I never ever want to see you again, you have made it clear I am nothing to you and I have nothing of interest to you in my possession any more and as far as I am concerned my grandfather was Mitchell Stackhouse which means you are nothing to me, so just go" I say.

I hear Niall sigh and then there is a loud pop and he is gone. I sag in Eric's arms and he pulls me close and kisses me in front of everyone.

"You really would have killed him?" Thalia says quietly.

I think about that and nod slowly, "Yes I think I probably would" I say.

Thalia glances at Eric and then walks away.

"Did I just make things ten times worse?" I ask Eric.

He shakes his head, "No, you could have been more circumspect with your reasons why you wanted to be turned, but that will be overlooked under the circumstances, but you defended not only me but every vampire here, and made Niall look weak at times he won't like that but that won't be forgotten, you have earned the respect of every vampire here" he says.

"Do you think Niall will come after me?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head again, "No, he would be foolish to try, he has made it clear to a room full of witnesses that he has disowned you and you have disowned him, for him to make some sort of aggressive move towards you now would reflect badly on him, I think we can safely say that was the last time you will ever see Niall Brigant and the last time he will visit this realm".

"Good" I say.

We sit there in silence for a while and I know everyone is watching and waiting for me to screw up, I am determined not to show myself up or betray Eric's trust in me as I know he had reservations about bringing me here and the fact he did makes the other vampires question his judgement.

I start to feel hungry and I glance at Eric who must sense it through the bond.

"Are you feeling hungry?" he asks.

I nod, "A little" I say and Eric raises his hand and holds up two fingers. Almost immediately two bottles of Trueblood appear. A sudden thought occurs to me and I turn to my husband.

"Did you get a chance to look through that contract Mr Cataliades and I put together?" I ask.

Eric takes a gulp of his blood and nods, "I did, it was very comprehensive, I couldn't fault it" he says.

"Do you want to add anything to it?" I ask.

"No" he says.

"Are you happy with me doing this, I mean you having to resign as Sheriff?" I ask.

Eric nods, "I am, although I want to talk to you about it, but here isn't the place" he says.

_You could tell me like this _I think.

Eric smiles _No _he says to me silently.

I frown wondering what the matter is.

_We will discuss it when we are alone, but do not let any of the vampires here know that you can hear them _he says.

I realise immediately that this is important.

_Can I tell them I have inherited your gift of flight? _I ask.

_Yes _he replies.

So out loud I say to him, "Eric can we go home I want to practice my flying skills?" I watch and see the other vampires have heard as I see Pam smile.

Eric laughs, "Your flying skills are first class it is your landing skills which need practice" he teases.

"Hey I only crashed once!" I say.

"That was because I controlled your landing when we arrived here," Eric retorts.

I give him that "So, I need to practice then don't I" I say.

"You will improve, remember I have been flying for over a thousand years, you have been flying for a few hours" he says.

Pam wanders over to us, "Do you like the gift our master gave you?" she asks.

"I love it!" I say smiling widely.

Pam smiles, "I could never understand the appeal, I prefer to run" she says.

I shrug, "No I intend to make full use of that gift" I say.

Eric rolls his eyes, "You need to learn to land correctly then" he says.

I stand up and pull him up, "Well lets go so I can practice then" I say, Eric laughs and stands he turns to the other vampires who are watching carefully and Maxwell raises his hand to us.

I wave back, "Bye everyone" I call.

"Bye Sookie" is the chorus of replies.

Pam follows us outside and once we are alone in the parking lot she turns to face us.

"I heard your conversation" she says.

Eric doesn't react but waits for Pam to elaborate.

"The conversation which wasn't spoken" she says in a quieter tone.

I look at Eric in a panic and he squeezes my hand reassuringly.

"Pam as your maker I command you not to speak of this development to any other being" he says.

"Can you hear me too?" I ask her.

Pam shakes her head, "No, I couldn't hear your thoughts I could only hear when you were talking with each other in your heads I could hear that but I couldn't join in it was as if you were talking normally across the room and I was listening" she says.

I look at Pam carefully wondering if she is resentful that I have this bond with Eric, I watch as Eric appears to be working things out.

"Pam drink from Sookie" he says suddenly.

Pam shrugs and grabs me and bites my neck and drinks from me, she stops heals the wound and wipes her mouth. We wait looking at Eric expectantly.

"Sookie now you drink from Pam" he says.

It hits me what he is thinking, Eric and I have a blood bond and he and Pam have a blood bond what he wants is a three way blood bond, I don't hesitate I bite Pam and drink from her, I am surprised at the taste of her blood it is much tangier than Eric's which is sweet and rich.

"That was different" I say.

"What do you mean?" Eric asks.

"Pam's blood tastes different to yours" I say.

Pam nods, "I am younger, the older the vampire the sweeter the blood" she says.

I heal the wounds I made in Pam's neck and we look at Eric.

"Pam think something" he says.

_What good is that going to do?_ She thinks and Eric smiles widely – he can hear her.

_Hi Pam can you hear us as we can hear you loud and clear?! _I say in my mind.

Pam's mouth drops open and she stares at Eric, _You can hear me too? _She asks him.

Eric nods, _I can, this is quite remarkable, Sookie, Pam see if we can have a three way conversation._

_Well I can hear you too, Eric this is...unnerving. Ok I'm going back inside now I'll see you both later _Pam says.

_Goodnight Pam will we see you before dawn? _ I ask.

Pam shakes her head, _possibly not._

_Goodnight my child _Eric says to her.

Out loud Eric then says to both of us, "As your maker I command you not to reveal this link we have established between us". Pam and I nod and then Pam disappears inside.

"Are we going home now?" I ask.

"Yes, our home here in Shreveport that way you can practice your flying" he says.

I grin and look up and a second later I have shot into the sky, Eric joins me and we fly side by side to our home nearby.

I glance at the ground and brace myself. Eric grabs my arm and pulls me close.

"You are going land, you will bring us both down I will only take over if you appear to be out of control" he says.

"Talk me down" I say.

"Slow yourself down and imagine yourself on the ground, and now imagine yourself jumping off chair, I do this and I gracefully land on my feet bending my knees slightly.

"I did it!" I say excitedly.

Eric nods, "You did, well done, that was a perfect landing, before you were flying into the ground rather than landing" he says.

We go inside and I rush to the fridge and pull out a couple of bottles of blood.

"Are you hungry again?" Eric asks.

I nod "A little – is this normal?" I ask.

"It is, but you have so much self control, I forget you are only a few hours old, it is like you have been a vampire for months rather than hours" he says.

"Do you think its because I have had so much of your blood in the past?" I ask.

"Possibly" Eric replies, "but I also think that the Fae magic in the earth played a part and the Fae blood you carried" he says.

"You said it made you feel different" I say.

Eric nods, "Yes I feel as though everything is brighter and clearer and I feel stronger" he says.

"Did I do ok tonight, I didn't embarrass you did I? I mean when Niall showed up?" I ask.

Eric pulls me close, "No Sookie I was very proud of you" he says.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" I ask.

"This improved gift you have makes you incredibly powerful but also very vulnerable, it will put you in danger, especially if other vampires fear that you will be able to hear their secrets, however, it puts us at a great advantage, if you can determine other vampire's motives when they hire you" he says.

I think about what he has said, "Well I can talk to you in my head now and so if I hear anything I could tell you and we could work out a plan of what to do" I say.

"That sounds excellent" he says.

"So I can't even tell the vampires here?" I ask.

"No, Pam is the only vampire I trust with this information and that is because I can command her not to reveal it. They respect you now especially after tonight, but vampires are naturally suspicious, envious and jealous if they believe you have an advantage over them in some form they could possibly turn on you" he says.

"I wonder how Niall found out about me?" I ask.

"Another vampire must have alerted him or Cataliades said something" Eric says.

As if saying his name conjured him up there is a knock at the door, I go to open it and Mr Cataliades is standing there.

"We were just talking about you" I say.

"Sookie I have news, you are in great danger" he says as he walks inside.

"Niall has discovered that you are now a vampire and he is coming" he says.

"Too late! He has already been, he confronted us at Fangtasia" I say.

I quickly outline the events of tonight and Eric looks at Mr Cataliades closely.

"Do you know who informed him?" he asks mildly.

Mr Cataliades nods, "Bill Compton" he says, "after Compton helped to free Sookie from Neave and Lochlan and Niall closed the Faery he gave Compton the means to contact him should Sookie need assistance, and Compton believed that Sookie needed assistance" he says.

I shake my head, "I'm going to stake him" I growl.

Eric holds up his hand, "Sookie wait" he says, he turns back to Mr Cataliades, "How did you know of Niall's visit?" he asks.

"Dermot" Mr Cataliades says confidently, he pulls out his phone and shows me a message, I listen to it and sure enough it is my uncle's voice.

"How?" I ask.

"Dermot was concerned about entering the faery with your grandfather after the way Niall had previously treated him, when he left he also felt great sadness at not being able to say goodbye to you, so I gave him a phone and told him if he wanted to keep in touch with you he could do so through me, and that I would pass any messages on" he says.

"So Dermot found out about Niall's visit and tried to warn me" I say.

Mr Cataliades nods. "I went to Bon Temps as I knew that was where you would be rising but you had gone, so I assumed that you came here, I had no idea you would be visiting Fangtasia on route though" he looks at Eric accusingly.

"My wife is no ordinary newborn Desmond, she is quite unique, she has understanding and self control unheard of for a vampire so new" he says proudly.

Just then Mr Cataliades' phone starts to ring and he looks at it and then at me. "It is Dermot" he says as he answers.

He looks surprised "Would you like to tell her this news yourself?" he asks.

A moment later he hands the phone to me, "Dermot would like to tell you something" he says.

"Hello" I say warily.

"My dearest niece I am so thankful that you are safe. I needed you to know that Niall will trouble you no further" he says.

"How do you know?" I ask.

There is a pause, "Because I have killed him" he says, I stare at the phone in shock.

"You...killed Niall?" I ask.

Eric stares at me but says nothing but I can tell he is listening intently to our conversation.

"He returned to the Faery and he was incandescent with rage against you, I was fearful as he made threats against you, that he was going to curse you and then kill you, I couldn't let him, I know what it was like to walk around not in my right mind, I had to do something, I always only wanted him to love me and he couldn't, even when he got me here in the Faery, so I had to do what had to be done" he says.

"You killed him, are you ok?" I ask.

"I will live" Dermot says and I wonder just how injured he is.

"Are you hurt?" I ask.

"A little" he says.

"Are you in danger?" I ask.

"Possibly… very possibly" he says.

"Can you get back here?" I ask.

"I could use the portal in your woods, it is still slightly open, it is the only one, Niall purposely kept it open, once I am through I could seal it completely" he says.

"Then do it, we will be the other side waiting for you, we will take care of you, you can stay at the house, the house and the land will help heal you" I say.

"Thank you niece" he says, "I felt more of a kinship to you than any other Fae" he says.

"Well I'm a vampire now but you are still welcome in my life" I say.

"I will make my way to the portal" Dermot says.

I hang up and hand back the phone to Mr Cataliades. "Eric we need to go back to Bon Temps Dermot is coming through the portal and then sealing it, and he is hurt and he is in danger" I say.

Mr Cataliades shakes his head, "I feared this, when Dermot went to the Faery, he is a half blood so would be in danger from the Water Fae, but I feared Niall would not be the father Dermot hoped he would be and he proved him right, he will be better off in this realm" he says sadly.

Eric nods and we head outside, we thank Mr Cataliades for coming and we shoot into the sky. Eric grabs me and makes me ride on his back for the majority of the journey. When we arrive at my old house we make our way to the woods.

"While we are here I am going to pay a visit to Bill" I say.

Eric smirks, "I look forward to it" he says.

"If I end up killing him will I be in trouble?" I ask.

"You would have to pay his maker reparation, but as she also died by your hand that will be waved" Eric says.

"What about Judith?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "She is a sibling she has no claim for reparation" he says.

We wait by the portal and suddenly the shimmering increases Eric and I are on our guard in case it is something else trying to get through, but then Dermot's head and arm appear, and slowly he heaves himself through the narrow gap. When he is through I can see the extent of his wounds, he is badly hurt. I circle him, his blood smells delicious and Eric watches me carefully.

Dermot turns and mutters some words and the portal vanishes completely as if it was never there.

He turns towards me and I rush into his arms. "Uncle Dermot" I say as I hug him.

"Sookie" he replies.

Eric and I help him back to the house and we get him settled. I can see Eric is struggling with the smell of Dermot's blood, if I am honest I am too and my fangs keep dropping and I move away from him.

Eric excuses himself from the room to call Dr Ludwig and she comes to tend to Dermot's wounds.

"We need to go it will be dawn soon" I say, as I feel myself drawing closer to Dermot.

Dermot nods, "It makes no difference to me that you are now a vampire, I wanted you to know that" he says.

"Get some rest Dermot and thank you" I say.

Eric and I return to Shreveport, and I once again land beautifully in our garden.

"Well that was an eventful night" I say.

Eric laughs, "You didn't get to see our other friend" he says.

"Oh I will" I say ominously, "Bill is on my agenda for tomorrow" I add.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

I awaken with a start, I have just had the most terrifying and disturbing dream, I look around frantically and Eric appears beside me, he is holding an enormous goblet filled with blood and he looks concerned.

"What is it? What is troubling you?" he asks and he hands me the goblet.

I gulp down the blood greedily, and my eyes widen.

"This is fresh blood" I say.

Eric smiles, "Only the best for my wife" he says. He sits beside me, "Stop changing the subject tell me what has disturbed you so?" he asks.

"I had a dream" I say.

He doesn't say anything he cocks his head to one side and listens.

"About you...and Ocella, it was...horrible" I whisper.

Eric reaches for me and wraps his arms around me but he still doesn't say anything.

"What did you see?" he asks eventually after a long silence.

The images reappear in my head and I know Eric can also see them as he stiffens considerably.

"Now you know why I didn't wish to discuss that time with you" he says quietly.

I nod, "He was a sadist" I say bitterly.

"He was my master and I obeyed him or faced the consequences" Eric says simply.

I shake my head, "I know, but the things he did to you, he raped you, you do realise that don't you, I may be a vampire now but I still can recognise that he forced himself on you, he used his power over you, he totally abused his position as your maker" I say.

Eric doesn't respond he doesn't even show any emotion at all.

"And don't even get me started on the fact he whored you out to his friends to gather favours from them" I say, "I also saw the incident you told me about with the dagger" I say, I reach for his hand and stroke it, "Your hand was so burnt, and then he..." I stop the blood tears fall from my eyes.

"Sookie" Eric whispers gently and he licks away the tears.

"I understand now" I say.

Eric nods and holds me close.

"I won't force you to tell me anything else, you don't have to keep your promise to me to tell me" I say.

"I am sorry you have seen these things from my past, but in a way I am also pleased as it makes us much closer now you understand, I see you were right about that fact" he says.

"Has Pam seen them?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No the bond we share is unique, far deeper and more complex than the normal maker/child bond.

"Why?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "I have no idea, it could be our deep love for each other, it could be your Fae ancestry it could be a mixture of the two, but whatever it is I am proud and honoured to have it with you" he says.

I hold him tightly.

"Are you still hungry?" Eric asks.

I nod, "A little but I want that edge, for our visit tonight" I say.

Eric smiles "Are you referring to our visit with Mr Compton?" he asks.

"That's the one" I say and reach into the weapons drawer and pull out a wooden stake I push it into my jeans.

Eric laughs, "Lets go, I can't wait to see his reaction" he says standing and holding out his hand to me.

"I am going to kill him you know" I say coldly.

Eric nods, "I have gathered that much, you did warn him about interfering, so he should be expecting it" he says.

I snort, "He probably thinks it was just an idle threat and that I wouldn't go through with it" I say.

"Then that gives you the advantage" Eric says with a nonchalant shrug.

"I will need to feed at some point as I want to go and see Uncle Dermot while I am in Bon Temps and I don't want to risk losing control" I say.

Eric nods, "we can do that" he says.

"Are we flying?" I ask eagerly and Eric laughs.

"If you wish" he says, "But I think I should carry you for some part of the journey" he adds.

"Ok" I say.

After an exhilarating flight we land in Bon Temps in the graveyard between my old house and Bills.

"Splendid landing" Eric comments, it was the first time I had landed without him holding me and I had followed his instructions to the letter.

"I love flying" I say and Eric kisses me.

I pause as my vampire hearing picks up something and Eric is immediately on alert as well.

_What is it? _ I ask him silently.

Eric laughs and points and I see a fox skulking through the undergrowth watching us warily.

_Is that a regular fox or something else? _ I ask trying to open my mind to it.

Eric looks closely at it, "Just a fox" he says.

We make our way over to Bill's house and the closer we get I see lights on and so I open up my mind and find Bill wandering around inside.

I march up to the door and with a swift kick it flies open, the next thing I know Bill is there his fangs down and he is hissing. As soon as he sees me he stops and his fangs disappear.

"Sookie" he says in an oily voice then he glances at Eric and nods curtly, "Sheriff" he says.

"I'll be brief Bill" I say as I push past him and walk into his home.

"Do you remember our conversation Bill?" I ask.

Bill looks at me blankly and shakes his head.

"Let me refresh your memory, I am referring to the one where I told you if you ever interfered in my life again that I would stake you" I say and I pull a stake from my back pocket.

"I don't understand there must be some mistake" Bill stammers, staring at the stake I am waving at him.

"It's quite simple Bill, you did so here I am" I say.

"I didn't do anything" he protests still looking nervously at the stake, "please Sookie, I would never harm you, I love you" he pleads.

"Cut the crap Bill" I say and I walk closer to him, "you know what you did, you called Niall and tattled to him that Eric had turned me" I say.

Bill swallows hard and shakes his head, "No, I…I…I…" he stammers, he backs away from me and finds himself up against the wall I corner him so he has nowhere to go, and Eric moves in behind me, just watching.

"Yes you did, don't lie" I say, I can hear his thoughts he is wondering how I found out.

"Why did you do it Bill?" I ask carefully, Eric is watching me carefully and I see a look of surprise on his face when he hears my softer almost affectionate tone, but he doesn't say anything.

My reason is deliberate, I want to give Bill a chance to explain himself, as despite all the crappy things he did to me over the years, he did do some nice things too, he taught me how to shield better than the way I had adopted, and stop the relentless onslaught of other peoples thoughts in my mind, he had dealt with Uncle Bartlett which although it shocked me at the time, I was more grateful for, than I could ever possibly articulate, he did help to rescue me from Lochlan and Neave and got poisoned by silver for his trouble, and then yet despite being seriously ill he still stood and helped to protect me alongside Clancy and Eric when Breandon found us and drove my grandmothers iron trowel into him, and then of course there were his actions more recently how he had tried to warn us when Felipe appeared and wanted to abduct me.

Unfortunately though for all the nice things he did, there was also a long list of the crappy things and calling Niall to try and create trouble for Eric was by no means the worst thing he ever did, in fact in the big scale of things he had done it would be considered just irritating, but to me it was the final betrayal and I just want to know why.

I have barely got the words out of my mouth when I see the answer in his head. He totally believed that Niall would kill Eric leaving the way clear for him to take me under his protection. This makes my decision to kill him easier - Bill dies tonight, now I just want him to admit it.

"Come on Bill spit it out" I say even though I know.

"How did you know it was me?" he asks eventually, ignoring my question.

"Niall came to see us" I say.

I see anger flicker over his face and he is thinking that Niall must have told me that he had heard the news from him.

"Niall is dead now" I say flatly and Bill stares at me his eyes wide and fearful, he thinks I killed him and he is scared, really scared, I decide to let him continue to think that as it gives me the upper hand.

"Sookie I..." he stammers.

I wave the stake at him "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stake you?" I ask.

"Because I love you" he whines.

I shake my head, "That was the wrong answer Bill, and you know the penalty for coveting another vampire's mate".

"You were mine first" Bill retorts viciously and glares at Eric.

I shake my head, "No Bill, you were sent to acquire me, you were sent to procure me, and to do that you pretended you loved me, you pretended you cared, but all the time you used me, I was _never _yours."

"Sookie, I love you" Bill whines. "I feared that Eric had forced you into becoming a vampire…"

"Don't you dare!" I hiss, my anger is now surging through me and I feel Eric's own fury and I feed from it.

I get right into Bills face and I see him try and shrink away from me in fear, I grasp him by the throat and pin him against the wall.

"Are you going to tell me why you did it or do I have to pull it straight from your mind?" I hiss. Bill's eyes widen at that.

"But" he says.

"Straight from the mind it is" I say and I glance at Eric, "Hope you are listening to this honey, his reasons were dishonourable and low even for him."

"I'm all ears" Eric replies coldly.

"He wanted to stop you turning me, that's a given he already told us that, but when he realised it was a done deal when I rose, he then called Niall because he hoped that he would come and kill you in revenge for turning me and then I would be left alone and helpless and he could come in like a white knight and save the day and take me under his protection, that was his hope, but it didn't work out like that and the only vampire dying tonight…" I pause and look Bill straight in the eye "… is you Bill" I say coldly.

"Sookie I love you" Bill pleads again.

"No you don't love me Bill, you just want to own me and I am not a possession and I definitely don't love you...goodbye" I say.

With a move so fast it shocks both Bill and Eric I ram the stake into Bill and watch him disintegrate.

Eric steps closer and touches my shoulder I turn to face him and I feel him send love and pride through our bond.

"It's done" I say simply.

"You feel no remorse?" Eric asks.

I think for a moment and shake my head, "No, should I?" I ask.

Eric smiles "No, you did what needed to be done, he was always going to be a thorn in our side, and he would always try and plot to separate us" he says. "Tell me lover, what you said, was that really why he called Niall?"

I nod, "I pulled it straight from his mind, he really believed if you died I would return to him, he knew that he would never be able to kill you so that is why he called Niall, as he thought he would be so incensed, that you had turned me that he would kill you, and then he could step in."

Eric wraps his arm around me, "He was totally obsessed with you" he says. "I have to admit I thought your threat to stake him was just that – a threat and yet tonight you were so determined to kill him, even before you heard the truth of his motives, why?" he asks.

I sigh unnecessarily and look up into my husband's face. "Seeing your memories in my dream unearthed memories of my own, I remembered Uncle Bartlett and what he did and then one other time which I have always been in denial about but now I saw it from a different perspective, I saw what really happened" I say.

"Go on" Eric asks, I hear him wondering who Uncle Bartlett is.

"The night I was trapped in the car with Bill and he attacked me and raped me" I say, that is the first time I have ever acknowledged out loud what Bill did.

Eric says nothing but listens carefully.

"I always made excuses for him, I always said he wasn't in his right mind he was hungry and had no self control, but now I am a vampire and I know the truth I know he could have stopped had he wanted to, I feel hungry but I also have a keen sense of smell and I would know if I was with someone I was supposed to love and even though I am a newborn with supposedly no self control but I know I wouldn't feed from someone I loved no matter how hungry I was, unless they gave me permission to do so" I say.

"He knew it was me, knew what he was doing and he didn't care" I say.

Eric pulls me into his arms and holds me.

"He's gone now" Eric says quietly.

"He is, and if I am totally honest I think it was not only a blessing and release for us but also for him, he was so twisted by his maker, he resented being turned and it warped him, he never learnt to see the positives in the lifestyle, he hated what he was and he was just too bitter. I mean… I have now seen what Ocella did to you, but you didn't let it twist you, you learnt from it and you embraced the lifestyle and took the positives from it, and that was something Bill never could do, he was just too weak".

"You are very wise" Eric says after a moment.

After a few moments I pull away and walk over to Bills computer and look through the stack of disks there. Eric comes to my side and sees what I am looking at and we walk around the house and we gather all Bill's database information and his computer, then Eric calls Pam and Maxwell to come and collect it. As we leave Eric turns to me.

After a moment he speaks, "Do you want to hunt before we go and see your uncle?" he asks.

I nod and we head away from Bon Temps so I can feed.

**oooOOOooo**

After a successful hunt, Eric is almost bursting with pride as we return to my old house and we go inside. I head upstairs and find Dermot in bed he looks incredibly ill.

I sit beside him and touch him, "Eric what do I do?" I ask.

He pulls his phone out and calls Dr Ludwig and moments later she materialises in the room.

She examines Dermot, "he needs Fae blood" she says and she looks at me.

"Me?" I say, "You want me to give him my blood?" I ask.

"You are the only other part fairy I can see here" Dr Ludwig snaps.

"But I'm a vampire now" I say stating the obvious.

"You still have Fae blood and the essential spark resides within you, that is all that is needed, now are you going to do it?" she asks.

I look towards Eric and he nods once.

I don't hesitate and bite my wrist and offer it to Dermot, "Please drink this Uncle Dermot" I say.

"The vampire blood won't harm him will it?" I ask as he wraps his lips around my wrist.

Dr Ludwig shakes her head, "No, the healing properties of vampire blood will hasten his healing" she says.

I watch as Dermot visibly recovers in front of me. Eric is watching carefully and after a few moments he speaks.

"That's enough Sookie" he says. I pull away and my wrist quickly heals.

"Thank you niece" Dermot says, I watch as he stands and stretches.

Dr Ludwig examines him once more and proclaims him to be healed, and with that there is a loud pop and she vanishes.

We head downstairs and sit down in my old sitting room, "What are your plans now?" I ask, I have moved myself over to the other side of the room and Eric is with me, now Dermot is fully healed his fairy scent is becoming more noticeable and it is becoming an effort to stay in control.

Dermot shrugs, "I have no idea, I would never be welcome back in the Faery, not that I was welcome there before, it was a mistake me going there with father" he says sadly.

"Were they mean to you?" I ask.

He nods, "I am a Halfling not full Fae " he explains.

"Well you are welcome to stay here as long as you like" I say, "I'll ask around and see if I can get anyone to give you a job as well" I say.

Dermot nods enthusiastically "Thank you I can turn my hand to anything" he says.

I smile at him, "I'll see what I can do" I say.

After staying a while longer we head into Bon Temps, I have an idea and drop by Jason's house and he comes to the door and smiles at me.

"Well look who it is, Vampire Sookie!" he says with a grin, "How are you sis?" he asks.

I grin back at him and show him my fangs, he stares at them wide eyed.

"Wow" he says. He opens the door for us to enter but I don't move.

"You need to invite me in!" I say.

"Oh yeah I forgot" he says, "Come in" he adds and Eric and I step inside. Michele appears and welcomes us, she goes to the fridge and produces two bottles of Trueblood, and warms them for us.

"How are you, what's it like being a vamp?" Jason asks tactlessly.

"I love it"! I say, "I can fly" I add.

"Fly?!" Jason exclaims.

I nod, "Eric can fly and I kind of inherited it from him" I say.

"What about your problem?" Jason asks and he taps his head.

"Still got that" I say, "But I have like an on/off switch now, I don't have to work at blocking its like I have to work at listening now instead" I say.

"Well that must be better" Jason says.

"It is" I agree, I remember my idea , "Listen Jace, I need a favour" I say.

"Go on" he says.

"Uncle Dermot is back" I say.

"Ok?" Jason says.

"He is living in my old place, and he can't go back to the faery, he is here for good, but now he is here, he needs a job, I was wondering if you heard of anything if you could put a word in for him?" I ask.

Jason nods, "Of course I could, actually Catfish was talking about hiring some more crew I'll have a word with him tomorrow, that way Dermot would be with me and I could keep an eye on him" he says.

"That would be really great if you could do that, thanks" I say.

After a while longer Eric and I go to leave, Eric politely thanks Michele for the blood and we leave. I look up at my husband.

"Thank you, that couldn't have been easy for you" I say.

Eric shrugs, "They are your family" he says simply.

I stop by Merlotte's and the place is buzzing, as I step through the door with Eric everyone turns to stare at me.

Sam smiles at me and waves, and Eric and I find a table and sit down.

Kennedy walks over and greets us warmly.

"So you came back?" I say, cringing slightly at stating the obvious.

She nods, "Yeah it wasn't Sam's fault he had to let me go, so when things picked up I was glad when he rehired me" she says.

We order two bottles of Trueblood and she quickly fetches them for us.

I look around and take a dip into the minds of the people staring at me.

_I can't believe she went through with it._

_Crazy Sookie now a deader, who'd have thought it?_

_I wonder if he forced her to become one of them?_

_I wonder if she'll flash her fangs?_

I look around, they are all curious but there is no real hostility, Sam walks over and sits down with us, this makes a statement that he is happy to have me here.

"Hi Sam" I say.

"Hi Sookie" he replies and he turns to Eric, "Eric" he says politely.

Eric nods, "Sam" he replies.

"So you did it then" Sam says.

I nod, "and I've never been happier, it was the best thing I ever did" I say.

"Well I'm happy for you cher, but you should know, Alcide isn't, apparently some of his Weres were in Fangtasia and saw you in there with Eric and they have told him that you are now a vampire and he got pretty upset about it" Sam says.

I shrug, "It's none of his business" I say.

"That's what I told him when he called me to rant about it" he says.

"I'm sorry you got dragged into it" I say.

Sam shrugs "No big deal" he says, "But I thought I should warn you, as he seemed pretty bent out of shape about it, and Alcide doesn't always have the best ideas when he isn't thinking straight" he says.

I nod, "Thanks for the heads up" I say.

"You're welcome" he replies.

I remember the reason why I wanted to come here, apart from getting some blood because I was feeling more than a little hungry after being with Dermot and the bottle of blood I had a Jason's didn't totally do the trick.

"Listen Sam, I do have a favour to ask, what we were talking about, well I still have my gift, and I am going ahead with the plan to turn it into a business, also since Eric turned me I can also hear Weres clearly now so if any Weres wanted me to work as a shaman I'd be willing to do it as I won't need to take anything illegal to do it now" I say.

Sam nods, "If anyone asks I'll recommend you" he says.

"Thanks Sam, I will be getting some business flyers and cards printed so I'll let you have some to pass on when I have them" I say.

"No problem" Sam replies, "Actually you could help me out" he says lowering his voice.

"What do you need?" I ask.

"I've hired a new chef and something doesn't sit right about him I don't suppose...?" he asks hopefully.

I smile, "Consider it done" I say and stand up, I turn to Eric, "Won't be a moment" I say and Eric nods and watches me head out the back.

"Hi guys I thought I'd come and say hello, Sam said it was ok to come back here" I say.

Holly turns and smiles widely at me.

"Sookie its great to see you" she says I can see she wants to hug me but isn't sure so I open my arms, as she touches me it feels strange and I realise why vampires don't like contact with humans, they feel warm and squishy and all I can smell is her scent on me – I get it now, its not pleasant.

"We won't make a habit of this" I say to Holly and she nods and pulls away.

"I wasn't sure, I know vampires don't like to be hugged" she says.

"Who is that guy?" I ask.

"Oh let me introduce you" Holly says.

"Glen this is Sookie she worked here for years with Sam, but she left recently and married the Shreveport Vampire sheriff, Sookie this is Glen Turner our new chef" she says.

I look at Glen and open up my mind to him, "Hi Glen I'm really pleased to meet you, where are you from?" I ask.

"Dallas" he says shortly.

I listen and realise straight away that is a lie I step closer and look closely at him.

"Where are you from Glen?" I ask.

He looks up into my eyes and I have him I press my will on to him and I extract everything I need to know.

His real name is Gary Hudson he is from New Orleans and he moved north after Katrina he has survived by thieving and mugging and he went too far and killed a man, he is scared and he needs this job badly, he is eaten with guilt for killing the guy but he isn't a bad person, he is grieving for his family who all died in Katrina.

"You'll be fine here Gary, just tell Sam the truth he will take care of you," I say kindly.

The man looks startled for a moment and then nods, "you're not going to bite me are you?" he asks.

I laugh, "No, Sam is my best friend and he wouldn't be my friend for much longer if I started feeding from his staff when I came to visit!" I say, "And besides it would be the height of bad manners!" I add.

Gary smiles in a relieved way and thanks me.

"I am going to tell Sam what I have found out, so just be straight with him when he talks to you" I say.

I head back out and Sam is waiting and I quickly outline what I heard from the man and tell Sam what I said to Gary.

Sam nods, "he should have been honest with me but I can understand why he wasn't, I'll take care of him" he says.

"Thanks Sam" I say.

"Are you going now?" Sam asks.

I nod, "I think so I have dragged Eric around Bon Temps for long enough, I'm pretty sure his sociability has to be wearing thin now" I say.

"You take care cher and I'll put the word around about your new business" he says.

"Thanks Sam" I say.

I call goodbye to everyone as Eric and I leave and as we step outside Eric grabs my hand. His nostrils flare and he looks at me questioningly. I realise he can smell Holly on me from when she hugged me.

"Holly, the waitress was pleased to see me and we hugged" I say and shrug apologetically, then I remember Sam's warning. "Am I in trouble?" I ask nervously.

Eric shakes his head, "No, when I identified it as human female I guessed as much, but don't make a habit of it" he says.

"I won't" I say.

"Ready to go home?" he asks.

"Can we go to Fangtasia?" I ask.

"Of course we can" Eric says and with that we shoot into the sky.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

We arrive at Fangtasia and I pull on Eric's arm as he goes to lead me inside.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

I shake my head, "Nothing, but...will I be in trouble for killing Bill?" I ask.

Eric smiles and shakes his head, "No, he had it coming I've been wanting to end him for a long time but I never had a valid reason to do so, you did, as it could be argued that his actions could have incited a war between the Fae and vampires and after you had previously warned him not to interfere with your life that sort of act was unforgivable. Also, as I told you before, he has no maker to make reparations to, the only person who could be worried about it, is the area sheriff," he pauses and raises his eyebrows at me.

"So I guess I'm in the clear?" I say, with more than a little relief.

Eric nods, "You are and yes you can tell Pam" he adds.

"Well she already knows, I mean you called her to go and pick up Bill's stuff with Maxwell, so she must know that I went through with my threat to stake him" I say.

"Pam will want to hear all the details and don't worry, nobody thought very highly of Bill, they won't judge you, more likely they will applaud you," he says and with that he leads me inside.

"Wait" I say and Eric pauses again.

"What about Holly's scent on me?" I ask.

Eric grins, "Do not worry about that, I have been with you all night and besides you also have Compton's scent on you, not to mention your brother and uncle and you didn't touch either of them" he says.

We are greeted warmly and as we take a seat in Eric's booth, two bottles of Trueblood are placed in front of us.

"Good evening Sheriff, Mrs Northman" Thalia says politely, I stare at her in surprise.

"What's with the Mrs Northman?" I ask.

"Showing you due respect as my sheriffs wife and progeny" she says.

I shake my head, "Well no, you don't need to, please call me Sookie" I say firmly.

Thalia nods and I swear I see a glimpse of a smile tugging at her lips.

Moments later Maxwell and Pam walk in and Pam makes a beeline for us, "I can't believe you really did it," she says to me excitedly.

"What?" I ask not fully paying attention to her.

"Ending Bill of course" she says impatiently.

I nod, "He was out of order contacting Niall and I did tell him if he interfered in my life again that I would stake him, so I had to keep my promise" I say.

I notice that the other vampires are taking notice of what I am saying and as I look towards them they give me a look of respect.

"Good, he was a disgrace, we will talk about it later, you will tell me everything" Pam says and then she wanders off.

"Sookie" Eric says suddenly.

"What?" I ask.

"You were talking about a job for your uncle" Eric says.

"Yes" I say.

"What about asking him to be our new day person?" Eric asks, "If you feel you can trust him" he adds.

I think about it but shake my head, "No, he spent most of his time in this realm under curse, and he isn't very good with human money or certain human concepts, he would try, and he would do his best for us but we need someone who could actually do the job" I say, "Uncle Dermot is more a practical person working with his hands" I say.

Eric considers this and nods "Alright, it was just a thought" he says.

I reach for him and squeeze his hand, "thank you" I say.

As we are sitting there, I notice murmuring amongst the Airmen in the corner, I listen in and what I hear puts me on full alert.

I turn to Eric, and grip his hand tightly, "Alcide is coming here tonight" I say, I purposely say it out loud, to alert the other vampires in the room.

Their reaction is instant and every single one is now on full alert.

"Idiot" Eric growls, "Is he trying to start a war?" he adds, and shakes his head in exasperation.

"I'm sorry this is my fault" I say.

Eric shakes his head again, "No its not, this is his fault, he cannot accept you have become a vampire, you made that decision and you were happy with it, it is none of his concern what you do with your life so I cannot understand why he keeps wanting to meddle" he says irritably.

"Well looks like we are about to find out, he has just arrived" I say.

Alcide walks in flanked by Jannalynn and he looks around. The Weres amongst the airmen are on full alert and waiting for Alcide to say or do something. He acknowledges them and then leans down and whispers into Jannalynn's ear.

I open up my mind up to find out what he wants.

I discover he is angry that I am a vampire, he is angry that I wouldn't go and help him out when he asked and he believes that now I am a vampire he won't be able to use me any more for pack matters. Jannalynn is absolutely delighted by the developments as she can't stand me, and she is just desperate to kill me.

_Eric, Pam, are you listening, Alcide is angry because I am a vampire and he believes that he can no longer use me for pack matters, Jannalynn just wants to kill me_.

I see Pam's lip curl and her fangs drop and Eric quickly sends her a calming message.

_Pam do not strike, they have to make the first move._

_Yes master._

_Let Alcide through, but stay on the woman._

_Yes master._

_Be careful Pam_ I add, _she is vicious and reckless._

_Do not fear sister, _Pam says soothingly.

Alcide and Jannalynn approach us and I can see she is not happy with whatever Alcide whispered to her without even looking into her head.

"Good evening Alcide, to what do we owe the pleasure?" I say calmly.

Alcide stares at me, "You don't seem surprised to see us?" he asks.

I snort with laughter, "No, your Weres over there were broadcasting the fact you were coming so loudly, they may as well have stood on the chair and shouted," I say nodding towards the airmen.

"But you can't hear Weres clearly?" Alcide says.

I nod, "I can now, new and improved skills since I became a vampire, new improved and enhanced" I say tapping my head.

I can see Jannalynn is sceptical, and from the look on Alcide's face he also doubts it so I quickly look at Jannalynn and listen.

"You want to kill me, you don't like me, you don't trust me and you can't understand why Alcide respects me, you fear my gift and right now you just want to rip me apart because you feel weak that I am telling everyone what you are thinking" I say calmly.

Jannalynn growls and the air around her starts to shimmer.

"Jannalynn stop" Alcide commands, he stares at me, "and what I am thinking Sookie?" he asks nervously, but with also a hint of defiance.

I look at Alcide and smile, "You are afraid, you are scared that Jannalynn will disobey you and kill me anyway, you are scared that she wants to be pack leader and will challenge you, you know you need me, correction, you need my telepathy, but it galls you that I love Eric, as you believe that now I am a vampire, Eric won't allow me to continue with the Longtooth pack, or if he does that you won't be getting my services for free anymore. You are a ball of emotion and your thoughts are overwhelming you and right at this moment you just want me to stop talking" I say.

There is complete silence and Jannalynn stares at Alcide. "You don't trust me?" she whispers.

I turn to her, "Oh he trusts you, he wouldn't have made you enforcer if he didn't trust you, but your, shall we say, over-zealous nature troubles him, and he fears that in time, enforcer won't be enough for you and you will challenge him for the position of pack leader" I say.

I turn to Alcide, "She's shocked, she is totally loyal to you, and only wanted to prove her loyalty by doing a good job," I say.

"May I sit down Sookie?" Alcide says quietly.

"Be my guest" I say and I gesture to the seat next to Eric, Alcide hesitates and Eric smirks as he rises to his feet and gestures towards the seat, Alcide glances at Eric and then sits down, Eric sits beside him effectively trapping him in the booth.

_Behave, don't antagonise him_ I say silently to Eric.

Eric grins again, I stand to allow Jannalynn to enter the booth and she sits down and I follow her in, with the two Were's effectively contained I notice the tension coming from the vampires in the room has ratcheted down a notch but they are still close and keeping a close eye on proceedings.

"So what can I do for you Alcide?" I ask.

"I bet you already know" he grumbles.

I smile, "I have a rough idea but I want you to tell me" I say.

"I came to inform you that although you are now a vampire, it does not affect your Friend of the Pack status, I gave this a great deal of thought and you have done our pack a great service in the past, and I hope that now you are ...one of them, that won't change" he says.

I consider my words carefully, "Alcide, you could've said that in a phone call, why the big gesture of coming here in person?" I ask.

"I wanted there to be no misunderstanding, I wanted witnesses to verify my words" he says, and glances at the airmen who are watching proceedings closely.

I nod in understanding, "I am honoured that you still consider me a friend of the pack, and I hope that I will be welcome at pack meetings in the future. If you need any assistance with shaman duties I will now be willing to assist, as don't require drugs to enhance my gift and I have proved that I am quite capable of reading Weres clearly I can undertake that requirement happily. Just because I love a vampire, married a vampire and became a vampire does not and will not alter the respect I have for Weres and I hope that my new status will not prejudice the conception you had about me" I say with more than a hint of warning clear in my voice.

"How will I be able to...hire you?" Alcide asks stiffly.

I immediately realise this is the crux of his visit, I dip into his head to confirm this and I hear that he wants to know if he can still use my gift and he isn't happy because he will no longer be able to use it for free, and he blames Eric for putting the idea of charging into my head, so I decide to nail that fact once and for all.

"I came up with the idea of charging a fee for the use of my gift as I am sick of people trying to take advantage of me or assuming, wrongly, that I am their property because of what I can do, so to put an end to it I have prepared a contract with my lawyer which will be sent to all prospective clients of exactly what my terms are."

I pause and look at Eric, "The new Queen of Louisiana Sandy Sechrest has been given preferential status and as I am a friend of the Longtooth Pack I am prepared to give you that same concession" I say.

"Which means?" Alcide asks.

"If any other supernatural being for example another state vampire monarch requires my services at the same time as you do, I will choose you over them" I say.

"What if pack business clashes with something this Sandy wants?" Alcide asks.

I pause, "Alcide you have to understand, I am a vampire now so she has to come first, but I assure you she would be the only one who would take precedence over your request" I say.

Alcide nods in understanding, "I can accept that" he says, "Your fees will be reasonable?" he asks.

"They will" I say, "You will pay less anyway as there will be no travelling expenses incurred for work here in Shreveport" I say and Alcide smiles widely, he has understood that to mean he will pay less than Sandy as I will have to travel to New Orleans if I was to work for her, and he has taken that as he has a better deal.

I glance at Jannalynn, she doesn't look happy about this and I listen to her.

_What the hell is he doing? How will the pack trust the word of a deader?_

I glare at her, "You trusted my word when I was human" I say sharply and Jannalynn flushes angrily.

"What?" Alcide says looking towards Jannalynn.

"She thought and I quote -What the hell is he doing? How will the pack trust the word of a deader?"

Alcide looks angry, "I am pack master and I trust her word, she has been a friend of the pack for a long time and just because she has chosen a new ...lifestyle, it doesn't change who she is" he says.

"Of course it does - she is a vampire" Jannalynn states.

I turn to her my fangs down, "Yes, and you turn into a dog – your point?" I snarl.

"It was different when you were human," she says lamely.

I raise my eyebrows, "Oh so I was more trustworthy when I was human?" I say.

"Yes" Jannalynn says nervously.

I smile showing my fangs again, "Well isn't that a shame, as I wasn't totally 100% human even then," I say sarcastically.

Jannalynn stares at me and I lean towards her.

"Where do you think I got my telepathy from?" I say.

She shakes her head.

"My great grandfather was Niall Brigant crown prince of the sky Fae, and my telepathy came from a gift of a demon, bestowed on my grandmother because I contained the essential spark" I say.

Jannalynn's mouth drops open in shock and she looks at Alcide nervously.

"You said Niall Brigant _was _your great grandfather?" Alcide says.

I nod and then shrug, "he didn't agree with me marrying Eric and becoming a vampire ...he's dead now" I say and Alcide gasps in shock and stares at Eric.

"He didn't die by my hand" Eric says but he also doesn't say who did kill him.

Alcide nervously shuffles in his seat and I press the advantage I now have.

"I am incredibly loyal and protective of my husband and It makes me really angry when people try and come between us or insinuate things about vampires, do you understand what I'm saying?" I ask.

Alcide nods and I turn towards Jannalynn who also nods.

I smile once more showing my fangs, "I'm glad that's nice and clear" I say I look up at Eric. "Honey, I'm hungry" I say and Eric smiles and turning towards the bar holds up his hand immediately Pam walks over with two bottles of Trueblood. I turn to Alcide.

"Do you or Jannalynn want anything?" I ask.

Alcide shakes his head, "No thank you" he mutters and I turn towards Jannalynn and look at her questioningly.

"No...thank you" she says.

I grin at Pam, "Thanks" I say, and she winks at me.

"So, do we all now understand everything clearly, just because I am a vampire doesn't mean I won't help out from time to time with pack business as long as I am still treated with the same respect I was given when I was human" I say.

Alcide nods, "that is acceptable and perhaps you could attend the next pack meeting at the full moon so this new ...arrangement can be made formally and announced to the pack" he says.

I nod, "Will my husband also be welcome?" I ask.

There is a significant pause and then Alcide nods, "Yes, he will be made welcome" he says, and I swear I hear a slight growl come from Jannalynn, but I decide to ignore it.

"Excellent" I say and clap my hands together, I gulp down my bottle of Trueblood. I stand up and Alcide stands as well.

He looks nervously at Eric who has slid out of the booth and is standing beside me.

I take one last dip into Jannalynn's head and although there are still some hostile thoughts there, she is loyal to Alcide and will abide by his decision. Eric and I watch them go and he wraps his arm around me.

"Words fail me how outstanding you are" he says proudly.

I shrug and wave my hand dismissively.

The other vampires gather around.

"Well done Sookie you handled that beautifully" Maxwell says.

The other vampires murmur in agreement.

"Thanks guys" I say and I look up at Eric.

"Can we go home?" I ask.

Eric smiles and his fangs descend, "Certainly my love" he replies.

**oooOOOooo**

When we get home Eric pulls me into his arms and kisses me soundly.

"You were amazing, I was so impressed with how you handled the dogs tonight" he says.

"Don't call them the dogs Eric, you don't like it when they call you a deader" I say.

Eric stares at me but doesn't say anything. I push away from him and stare right back.

"Eric, why can't everyone just get along? All these preconceived prejudices between the different groups of Supes the distrust and the needless insults" I hold up my hand and point to each of my fingers as I go through the different supernatural communities.

"The vampires who think they are superior to everyone else, the Were's who have this huge chip on their shoulder, and then you have the wolves who think they are superior to the other Were animals, the fairies who have a reputation amongst other supes of being tricky, the ingrained hostility between y'all which if you just put it to one side and worked together you could achieve so much, I mean look at what you can achieve when you do work together, when everyone put aside their prejudice and worked together against that witch who cursed you, you can do it, so why can't y'all make the effort and do it all the time?" I ask.

"That is easy for you to say" Eric says stubbornly, I can tell he is smarting, insulted by my comment about vampires.

I ignore his mood and nod, "yes it is, because I am a part of every group that's why I can't see why y'all can't just get along, I lived as a god fearing Christian human for years, then I discover my grandfather was a half Fae and his father wasn't any old fairy, but fairy royalty, I am a telepath which I received as a gift from a demons blood, I have a brother who was turned into a Were panther, my best friend and former boss is a shifter, and my husband is a vampire, so yeah it is easy for me to say that because I can see every point of view" I say.

Eric looks at me slightly stunned and then he nods, a look of incredulousness fills his face, "This is your destiny" he says after a few moments thought.

"My ...what!?" I ask.

"You are going to travel with your work as a telepath, you can spread this word, this notion of peace and co-operation, you have a unique standing within every community, you are the only ...being who is totally neutral, you have ties to every group of supernaturals so every group listens and respects you, what you could achieve, the possibilities are endless you could change the world" Eric says his eyes dancing with excitement.

I stare at him in disbelief, "Oh come on that's a slight exaggeration don't you think?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No Sookie, I'm serious, the way you handled the d...Alcide tonight, you may not realise it but war could have broken out tonight, but you defused it and talked everyone around to your point of view, you have an incredible gift Sookie, people listen to you, look at you, even when you were human Thalia tolerated you, she respects you now, and she is notoriously hard to know and get anything from and she does not respect humans – at all, yet she taught you to fight when you were still human".

He stops speaking and I take in what he has just said and think about it. As I do so, I can't help it I just burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Eric asks.

I shake my head, "the notion that little crazy Sookie could change the world" I say.

Eric frowns and grabs my shoulders, "The humans have no idea what they have lost, you were a huge asset to the human race and they let you go, by ridiculing you and ostracising you, but their loss is the supernatural worlds gain, we appreciate power when we see it and you have that in spades my wife, you are more than special, you are unique, and I am proud beyond words that you are mine" he says.

I feel my self esteem is at an all time high after that pep talk, and I gaze up at the thousand year old Viking vampire in front of me, that I trust and love more than anyone else.

"You are not just trying to make me feel good about myself are you? You really think I can do this don't you?" I ask incredulously.

Eric nods firmly, "I never exaggerate or speak anything other than the truth to you Sookie" he says.

"You'll be with me...to help me?" I ask.

Eric nods, "I will be proud and honoured to stand at your side" he says.

"Ok then, I guess that's settled but how do I get them to listen to me?" I ask.

"You just be yourself, you talk to them as you talked to Alcide tonight, as you have talked to Sandy, as you speak to the vampires in the club and as you talk to me, the way you talk to people as equals and how you do not fear them, to offer your opinion it stuns them and gives you the advantage, they listen to you Sookie, people listen to you" he says.

He smiles, "The fact you now have a fearsome reputation also helps, as a healthy amount of fear never fails to get peoples attention and cooperation" he adds.

He wraps his arms around me, and gazes at me seriously, "Sookie, earlier this evening you mentioned someone, someone you have never spoken of before" he says.

I quickly dig into his mind and I see he is thinking of my comments about Uncle Bartlett, I nod, "You mean Uncle Bartlett?" I ask.

Eric nod, "Did he hurt you in some way?" he asks.

I nod again, "When I was a child, he...touched me, and because I could read his mind I knew what else he wanted to do to me" I say.

Eric grips me tighter, "Is this man still alive?" he asks stiffly.

I shake my head, "No, Bill killed him" I say.

Eric looks surprised, "Bill?" he asks.

I nod, "Yes when we first met, I told him about him and what happened and the next thing I knew Uncle Bartlett was dead" I say with a shrug.

"At least Bill did one thing right" Eric says, "but he had to go, you did the right thing Sookie, killing Bill had to be done" he says and I nod once more.

I know what I did was the right thing, I spend a few moments thinking over everything Eric has said, and I pull the stake from my back pocket and push it back into the weapons drawer. Unthinkingly, I pull out the silver dagger which Eric gave me and hold it in my hand.

"SOOKIE!" Eric screams and I drop it in shock, he is staring at the dagger and it occurs to me why, I am a vampire now I should be burnt. I look at my hands and hold them up, Eric stares and his mouth falls open.

He walks closer and examines my hands carefully, then he kicks the dagger, and hesitantly touches it with his finger, immediately he pulls his finger away as it burns and he stares at me.

"You can tolerate silver?" he asks.

I shrug and reach down for the dagger and pick it up, nothing happens "so it would appear" I say.

"This is...unusual, no unheard of, Sookie this gives you a great advantage, you do realise that don't you?" Eric says.

I cradle the dagger in my hand, "yes I know" I say.

"I wonder..." Eric says and then shakes his head.

"What?" I ask.

"I wonder if you possessed any other differences or immunities?" he asks.

"Well considering that all vampires have a reflection, crucifixes don't burn and garlic is mildly unpleasant rather than fatal I don't think there is anything else" I say.

"Daytime" Eric says.

My eyes go wide at the direction of his thoughts and I shake my head, "No, I feel myself wanting to go to rest as the dawn approaches, I can feel it have an effect on me" I say.

"You are a newborn, so that is understandable, but yet you are displaying the control of a yearling at the very least, I feel with our bond as strong as it is, I could persuade you to rise before nightfall" he says.

"What are you suggesting?" I ask.

"I can rise early, I have that ability with my great age, so if I rise early and I call you and see if you rise before sunset and if you do we could test and see if you have any immunity to the sun" he says.

"What will happen?" I ask.

"I won't allow you to burn, you will be sleepy but I will protect you" he says, and memories of how Eric covered Pam with a blanket during the Rhodes explosion come into my head, I remember the burnt vampires and I know that if I don't have any special gift when it comes to the sun I could end up like them.

"I'm not sure" I say.

Eric nods, "I can understand that, but I swear to you I will protect you, I won't let you burn" he says.

I nod, "Ok, I trust you Eric" I say.

"This would be amazing if you were a day walker, they have almost mythical status, they do exist but they are incredibly rare, there have only ever been three known day walkers in the whole world and there are none still alive today," he says.

"I'll do this, but please don't let me burn" I say.

"You have my word Sookie" he says.

"Actually, its not that I don't trust you but you will be not at full strength either I don't want you to get harmed, so what if I get Jason or Sam to help us?" I ask.

Eric considers this, "You totally trust them?" he asks.

"Jason is my brother and Sam is my best friend" I say. "I would only ask Jason or Sam they are the only ones I would trust" I say.

"Call them" Eric says.

I hesitate for a moment and then call Sam.

"Hi Sam" I say as he picks up, Eric's eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Sookie what's up?" he asks.

"Are you alone?" I ask.

"Yes why?" he says.

"I need to ask you something, a favour but nobody else can know about this, mine and Eric's life depend on it" I say.

"What's happened?" Sam asks.

I quickly explain how I have discovered that I don't have the usual vampire reaction to silver and how we wondered if there were any other things which I could possibly be immune to, like the daylight.

Sam listens and doesn't say anything, eventually after I have finished speaking and he hasn't made any comment, I ask him if he has heard me.

"Well...?" I ask nervously.

"What are you asking of me Sookie?" he asks.

"If you would deliberately take me outside before nightfall" I say.

"No" Sam says flatly.

"Please Sam, we need to know" I say.

"Sookie, you are asking me to deliberately take you somewhere which could kill you" Sam says.

"No I'm not, I'm asking you to put me in the path of sunlight, just for a moment to see if it has the usual effect on me that it should have" I say.

"But" he says.

"You'll know straight away if my skins starts smoking, and you can take me back inside, please Sam I trust you, I know you won't let me die" I say.

"You are asking a lot of me Sookie" Sam says.

"I know I am, but if it is successful then that means I am something called a day walker, there are not many vampires who have ever been able to do that," I say.

"Yes I get that, and I can see why you would want to know, but you go to rest in the day and rise at nightfall, surely if you were a day walker you wouldn't die in the day like a normal vampire does?" Sam says.

"That's what I said, which is why we need to know" I say.

"Ok, I'll do it" Sam says.

I nod at Eric, "Thanks Sam you're the greatest" I say.

"You owe me big time for this," he says.

"I know" I say, I thank him profusely again and then kill the call.

"Sam will do it" I say.

Eric doesn't look totally happy about this but he nods, "You trust him?" he asks.

I nod, "I trust Sam more than Jason actually" I say.

Eric nods and I wrap my arms around him.

"You know I don't think of Sam that way, he is my friend, there is only one person I trust more and that's you" I say, trying to reassure him and remove the feelings of jealousy I am getting loud and clear through our bond.

Eric kisses me then he lifts his head and listens, the phone is ringing in the other room and he lets me go and goes to answer it.

I wander into Eric's study and spot a crumpled envelope in the bin I pull it out and I see it is a letter addressed to me, it feels heavy as if there is something else inside, I look at the envelope and it is Eric's handwriting I slit it open and pull out a piece of paper, a flash drive also falls out into my hand. I look at it carefully and I unfold the letter. I start to read and at once I realise what it is, Eric clearly wrote this before the summit and I realise it was something I would have been given had things gone against us and he had been sentenced to death. I sit down heavily on the nearest chair.

_My dearest darling Sookie_

_If you are reading this then the trial of Felipe at the Amun summit did not go according to plan, and I was charged with treason and you are now alone. I am trusting that Thalia and Pam got you out of there and safely away before Felipe could exact revenge, and I trust that you are now safe and they gave you this message. _

_I have prepared this for you to try and offer you some small comfort in the days to come, until you recover from my passing, you should know I loved you right until the end._

_The day I first met you was the first time in over a thousand years I felt alive. I have been in love with you it seems from that first time we met. I was proud and honoured when you became my wife, I know you were always suspicious of my motives, but I assure you, everything I did regarding you was always with your wellbeing in mind._

_You will find a flash drive in the envelope, this contains a message from me which Maxwell helped me to prepare, I apologise for the beginning of that message, I did not realise I was being recorded at that point in time. Also included is a song, for you to listen to as I believe it is suitable for this point in your life._

_I hope you recover from my passing quickly and live your life well and please remember I always loved you right until the very end._

_Eric xx_

I re-read the letter over and over and then turn over the flash drive in my hand. I can still hear Eric on the phone in the other room and so I quickly move to his desk and plug in the flash drive into the laptop sitting there.

It opens and I click on the first file and I smile as I see a shaky image of Eric looking suspiciously at the screen. He looks to the side and speaks.

"You say this will record me, she will see my face and hear my words?" he says and my smile gets wider.

I hear Maxwell's voice, "Yes, she will see you and hear you" he says.

Eric nods and I can see him thinking about what he wants to say, then he turns to the side again.

"And I press this button when I have finished?" he asks.

Maxwell must nod as I don't hear anything but Eric looks satisfied. "Leave me and if you listen I will end you" Eric threatens.

As I watch I see Maxwell move behind Eric and leave and I hear the door shut. Eric looks around and then looks at the screen and starts to speak.

"_Sookie, I wanted you to have this as if you are seeing this I am now finally dead, do not blame yourself for what happened, I knew it was a possibility and I do not regret a moment. The only thing I do regret is never telling you how I feel about you, honestly and truly, I always assumed it would make me seem weak, but that was wrong, and I have learnt that loving you was my strength, you were my strength._

_You had a profound effect on me Sookie, I loved you as I had never loved before, not even in my human life, I chose you, Aude had been duty, taking her as my wife after my brother died, and I never loved anyone after I was turned, I wasn't capable, the closest I came was when I sired Pam. But then I met you and you changed everything. You awakened feelings inside me that I had never experienced before, I fought against them to begin with, but I couldn't fight forever and I gave in to my feelings for you._

_When I retrieved my memories of what happened to me while cursed and I remembered everything I realised just how much you meant to me, and I needed you. Your love is something which I will always cherish and I am so thankful to Compton for bringing you with him that day when I first laid eyes on you._

_I am gone now, but never question my love for you, I want you to know that I loved you right to the final moments of my life and I swear to you that as I died you were the final thought I had. I hope that you can move on and get over my passing and have a happy life._

_I love you Sookie I have said that now many times but I can't stress to you just how much you mean to me and how proud I am to be your husband, not just by vampire pledging but by human law as well when you asked me to marry you, it made me realise that you chose me as much as I chose you._

_My love for you will never die Sookie even though my thousand year old body is now ash. I have chosen a song for you which I believe speaks of my feelings for you, I'm not sure if you know this music or even like it but it was the words which spoke to me and I hope that they speak to you also._

_There is also some irony to the name of the album which the song comes from as __Michel de Nostredame was known to me personally, I met the French physician in Provence but he is known by his Latinized name of Nostradamus. Anyway, the song I have chosen is called Lost Love by a British band of musicians called Judas Priest, they were and still are quite popular in their genre of music and this song is from their album called Nostradamus"._ Despite the fact tears are rolling down my cheeks I giggle at this, it is so typical of Eric to be so specific and include that information. I carry on listening carefully to his words. I touch the screen as if I am touching his face.

"_Anyway goodbye my wife, my lover and my shield maiden, remember that I was proud to be your husband and even though I may have met my final death, my love for you will always live on._

_Goodbye Sookie"_

The screen goes black and I sit there with blood tears streaming down my cheeks. I click off that file and find the song which is sitting waiting for me to listen to.

I click on it and a beautiful ballad starts to play, I listen to the words carefully, and once again tears start to fall.

"Sookie" I look up at the voice and Eric stands in the doorway watching me carefully.

"I found it in the bin and it had my name on" I say.

Eric nods at me, "I put it together before the summit when it became clear that things may not have gone the way they did, and when it wasn't needed I threw it away, I was going to dispose of it more permanently " he says.

I stand and run into his arms.

"I love you" I say.

Eric licks my tears away.

"Well I think that expresses my true feelings for you" he says.

"I will treasure it" I say

"But I did not die?" he asks looking confused.

I laugh, "Eric that was you pouring out your true feelings for me, there is no way on earth I am going to get rid of that! Don't worry though, I am going to keep it safe, no-one will ever find it so your reputation will remain in tact but I want to keep it" I say.

"Alright" Eric says and he kisses me. "However, as I recall I threw caution to the wind at the trial and announced to the entire summit the depth of my love for you" he adds.

"And I believe it that it made you look stronger to do so" I say, I pause and pat his chest, "Just one small thing" I add.

"What?" he asks.

"If you had died, I wouldn't have just got over it, there is no way I would have just got over it" I say.

I can see he doesn't understand this and I touch his face just as I had touched the laptop screen a few moments ago, "if you died now, you know met your final death, I would meet the sun at the next available dawn" I say.

I pause as I realise the irony of those words considering that Eric believes me to be a day walker, but I think he gets what I mean.

"As would I if you died...oh I see" he says understanding.

I nod, "Now you get it" I say. "Who was on the phone?" I ask.

"Sandy" Eric says.

"What did she want?" I ask.

"She is travelling to Shreveport to meet with me to introduce me to the new sheriff she has appointed for area five, she wants me to bring him up to speed on area five and everything before I leave my post" he says.

I nod, "I'll make sure I read him and check him out" I say.

Eric nods, "I was also wondering if you could read Sandy as well, just so we are aware of her true motives" he says.

"Oh I was planning to do that anyway the next time I saw her" I say, "When is she coming?" I ask.

"She is travelling by day tomorrow so that she is here by sunset" he says.

"But Sam was going to help us out with that thing" I say.

Eric nods, "That's fine" he says.

**oooOOOooo**

The next evening I open my eyes and Sam is standing over me looking at me with concern and Eric is beside him holding my hand.

"Sookie I'm sorry" Eric says.

I look at Sam, "don't ever, ever ask me to do anything like that again Sookie" Sam says, and I hear a tremor in his voice.

I glance down and my arm is red and angry looking.

"I guess I'm not a day walker then" I say as I examine my arm.

"That was the worst thing I have ever done, I didn't get you near the outside and your arm started smoking as soon as the sunlight hit you ...it was horrible" Sam says.

I nod, "I'm sorry to put you through that Sam, but I needed to know" I say.

Sam nods; "I understand but please don't ask me to do anything like that again" he stands and looks at my arm sadly.

"Hey I'm here, I'm not dead, its all good" I say.

Sam nods but doesn't say anything, I stand up and look at Eric and quickly send him a wave of love and the words _don't react to what I am going to do_, I wrap my arms around Sam and thank him again.

He pushes me away and looks at Eric nervously who shakes his head and shrugs, "She already stinks of you from when you carried her" he says.

"I need to go" Sam says.

"I understand and thank you again and I promise you I won't ask you to do anything like that again" I say.

"Thank you" Eric says and nods at Sam. Eric follows Sam and I know that he has probably glamoured him in some way to forget what he has done and where he has been tonight.

After Sam has gone, Eric returns and examines my arm carefully.

"I'm fine" I say trying to reassure him. "What happened?" I ask.

Eric looks at me and shakes his head "I should never have asked this of you" he says.

"Eric talk to me" I say.

"I rose early as I had planned, and the shifter arrived shortly before dusk, I called for you but you didn't respond, I tried to come and fetch you I planned to carry you into the sunlight, but the shifter suggested he do it as I was still weak so let him into our resting place and he picked you up and asked me if I was sure about what we were about to do. I followed him to the door, and as soon as the sunlight hit you, your arms started to smoke, I could do nothing I was still too weak to help you I tried though, I tried to get to you but something was different, unlike in Rhodes where I was able to protect Pam as she burnt, as the sunlight weakened you it also weakened me I felt the life being sapped from me, the shifter told me to get back and he brought you back inside and into the darkness" Eric stops and he touches my tender arm.

"Eric its fine" I say.

He shakes his head, "Nightfall was half an hour ago, it delayed your rising" he says and I can hear the anguish in his voice.

I sit up at that news, "Hell I'd better get myself sorted then, Sandy will be arriving soon" I say.

Eric hands me a goblet of blood and I smile as I take it and drink it greedily.

"Better?" he asks and I nod and quickly head to the shower to remove Sam's scent from me.

Eric joins me in the shower and washes me tenderly before fully claiming me, we drink from each other as we both climax and by the time I get out of the shower my arm is fully healed.

Before we leave Eric examines my arm once more and the relief on his face to see it healed makes me smile.

**SONG****: Lost Love by: Judas Priest**


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

When we arrive at Fangtasia Pam greets us with a look of concern.

"I got some strange things through our bond tonight what's been going on?" she asks.

"I'll tell you later" I say as I see Sandy appear with a tall red haired vampire at her side.

Pam nods and walks away as Eric takes my hand and leads me over to greet the Louisiana queen, Eric bows deeply and I follow suit and Sandy returns with a slightly shallower bow.

"Sheriff, Sookie, good evening let me introduce you to Connor Murphy the prospective new sheriff for area five I was hoping that you'd show him the ropes and see how he takes to things" she smiles at me and at Eric and I dip into her head and find out what she is thinking.

_Sookie Northman is stunning, even more so since she was turned, such a shame it was a love match. Sheriff Northman is a lucky man._

I am so shocked by what I heard I nearly give myself away, but instead my crazy Sookie smile makes a brief appearance before I manage to rearrange my face into impassive and Eric sensing my shock, wraps his arm around me.

I turn my attention to the new prospective vampire sheriff, "Hello" I say to him and smile widely.

"Mrs Northman it is an honour to meet you, I have heard a lot about you and your husband" he says, I nod.

"All good I hope" I say.

Connor Murphy nods and I dip into his head.

_She is beautiful but she is so tiny compared to the Viking, how the hell has she managed to kill so many vampires when she was human she must be one hell of a fighter. _

I am drawn from my snooping by Sandy speaking.

"Sheriff, I have been trying to contact Compton regarding his database updates and been unable to contact him, has he said anything to you about leaving the area?" she says.

I stiffen and glance at Eric; he wraps his arm around me and gestures towards his office.

"Your majesty if we could go into my office, this is a slightly delicate matter" he says.

I follow wondering what he is going to come up with and I grip his hand tightly as we follow Sandy into Eric's office and he closes the door.

He reaches into the filing cabinet and pulls out a file with Bill's name on it and offers it to Sandy. She seems to realise that this is significant as she takes it.

"Compton has met his final death?" Sandy says in surprise as she opens it.

Her eyes scan the paper on the top and then they sweep up to me in shock, "Mrs Northman you ended Compton?" she asks.

_Trust me Sookie it's fine just tell her the truth,_ Eric says telepathically to me.

I nod, "Yes Ma'am...your majesty" I say, wondering when this paperwork was filled in.

"Can you explain to me what happened Mrs Northman?" she asks.

I nod again, "I can, first of all he tried to stop Eric turning me, I wanted to be turned at my former house in Bon Temps as I wanted to be buried in the ground there" I say

Sandy nods, "You wanted a traditional rising?" she asks.

I nod again, "yes, well anyway Bill showed up and Eric had to fetch Pam over to baby-sit him and stop him interfering and trying to stop Eric from turning me. Well when I rose the next night I wanted Pam there and I asked where she was and she was there but she was stopping Bill getting to me, as he was upset that I was now a vampire. I threatened Bill telling him to leave me alone and I said if he interfered again in my life that I would stake him...and he did, interfere that is, he contacted my great grandfather who showed up here at Fangtasia and caused a bit of a scene as he wasn't happy that I'd been turned, thankfully things didn't escalate too badly and he returned to the Faery. I was really angry that Bill had contacted him and not just because he interfered in my life after I specifically told him not to but because his actions could have caused a potential war between vampires and fairies, so I went over to Bon Temps and kept my promise to stake him, am I in trouble?" I ask.

Sandy nods and turns to Eric, "there is no maker to inform?" she asks.

Eric shakes his head and smiles, "No Lorena was a victim of Sookie's as well, quite a long time ago" he says.

Sandy looks at me and I shrug apologetically.

"As Sheriff you are happy that your wife was within her rights to end Compton?" Sandy asks.

Eric nods again, "I was your majesty had I been in a position to do so I would have ended him long ago, he has tried repeatedly to come between Sookie and myself, ever since Sookie became aware of his true motives and their personal relationship ended, he has been there with increasingly annoying tactics to try and win back her affection, but nothing serious enough to warrant my ending him. But I think he crossed the line when he contacted Sookie's fairy kin and after Sookie had clearly warned him of the consequences of his meddling she felt she had to keep her promise and I as sheriff of area five as well as her maker and her husband defend her decision to do so, on the grounds that his behaviour went way beyond tiresome meddling and could have resulted in catastrophe had war broken out" he stops and waits.

"Very good" Sandy says "you acted within vampire law, but please be aware ending vampires who anger you is generally frowned upon" she adds.

I nod "Yes your majesty I don't intend on killing anyone else" I say and Sandy smiles at that comment.

"I'm glad to hear it" she says and turns to Eric.

"Make sure your wife is fully aware of the consequences of unlawful killing" she says.

Eric assures her he will brief me. I take another dip into her head and I discover that she is impressed by what I did, and oh my god, she really does find me attractive.

I look towards Eric and see he is explaining the paperwork and ins and outs of being a sheriff. Connor listens carefully and seems to pick everything up.

"These records are immaculate Sheriff" Sandy says as she takes a look.

Eric smiles and nods towards me, "I have my wife to thank for that, she took over all the admin when we married and she brought everything up to date" he says.

"Really?" Sandy says.

I want Eric to shut up as I really don't want Sandy more interested in me. Eric smirks as he hears my thoughts.

When Sandy leaves Pam comes into the office and looks at me and Eric "Well?" she asks.

"Well what?" I retort.

"What happened earlier?" she asks.

"We attempted an experiment and things didn't go according to plan" Eric says cagily.

Pam looks at me questioningly.

"Eric wanted to see if I was immune to daylight" I say.

Pam stares at me as if I have just told her that I am pink elephant, "What would possess our master, a thousand year old vampire to think something so absurd?" she asks.

"This" I say as I pull the silver dagger from my purse.

Pam shrinks back from the dagger and stares at me not quite believing what she is seeing.

"You are immune to Silver?" she asks.

"It looks that way!" I say with more than a hint of sarcasm, as I pass the dagger from one hand to another.

Both Pam and Eric keep their eyes nervously on the silver dagger and don't fully relax until it is back, safely in my purse.

"How?" Pam asks.

"No idea, but Eric wanted to see if my immunity also included other stuff" I say.

"How? Pam asks again.

"Sam helped us" I say.

"The Shifter?" Pam asks.

I feel myself bristle with anger, "Hey cut it out Pam, he is my best friend and he was my boss for a long time and I trust him" I say.

Pam stares at me in surprise, she wasn't expecting that outburst.

"I don't like the way y'all use these derogatory terms for each other" I say quietly.

Pam doesn't say anything to that remark but simply nods and leaves Eric and me alone.

"What did you get from Sandy?" Eric asks changing the subject.

"That she has a damn crush on me" I splutter.

Eric grins, "Really? Well that is interesting, and possibly something we can exploit" he says, "What about our Irish friend?" he asks.

"Connor Murphy? Well, he seemed sincere nothing off about him, he was a little in awe of us after having heard loads about us" I say.

Eric nods, "He seemed bright enough, he should be able to handle the role of sheriff" he says.

I walk up to Eric and reach out for him "Are you positive about this, resigning from your position as sheriff I mean?" I ask.

Eric pulls me close, "Sookie I have never been as sure about anything in my life" he says.

_One week later..._

"We'd better get ready for the pack meeting" I say, I am not looking forward to tonight and truth be told I really don't want to go, and Eric nods but doesn't say anything I know he doesn't want to go either but I had made a huge point of him being made welcome there tonight.

"I'm sorry if you feel obliged to come with me" I say as we get ready.

Eric shakes his head, "I don't, if I didn't want to go I wouldn't, I won't say that I am looking forward to it and I could think of better ways to spend our evening but you believe that you have to go and so I want to go as I want to be there to protect you from the dogs...Weres" he says quickly correcting himself.

"They can't harm me I'm a friend of the pack" I say.

"I wouldn't trust that title" Eric says.

I stare at him and put my hands on my hips, "Eric, I blasted Alcide and Jannalynn for their unfounded suspicion and distrust, please don't tell me I am going to have to do the same to you?" I say.

Eric laughs, "No there is a natural suspicion between Weres and Vampires there always has been but I will behave and I won't make your position with them harder than it needs to be" he says.

I laugh now, "Now that is an interesting concept the great Eric Northman behaving himself" I say.

Eric grabs me and a second later we are naked on the ground. "I can think of ways we can misbehave until it is time to leave" he says as he pushes my knees apart and settles in between my legs I look up and see that his fangs have descended.

"Oh I'm always up for a bit of misbehaving" I say as I pull him closer and lick his fangs which get him even more excited.

After several orgasms a shower and three more orgasms we eventually leave the house to head to the pack meeting. As we leave the house Eric goes to go to the car but I stop him.

"Can't we fly?" I ask with more than a hint of disappointment in my tone.

Eric grins at me, "You make me weak, because I cannot deny you, yes my wife if you wish it we will fly" he says and wrapping his arm around my waist he shoots into the sky. I squeal as I wasn't totally ready for that and I slap him, he throws back his head and laughs before tossing me onto his back and shooting through the air at a terrifying speed.

"Why didn't you let me fly?" I ask sulkily as we land in the car park.

"Because I want you on full alert, you are still a newborn and I don't want you getting tired unnecessarily" he says.

I nod, "I forget I am such a new vampire as well, it all just feels so right, I feel I belong for the first time in my life" I say.

Eric grabs me and kisses me soundly. "You belong to me" he whispers possessively.

"What was all that for?" I ask as I pull away.

"Letting you know that you belong to me" he says with a shrug.

I roll my eyes at him and lead him towards the door. We are met by Alcide, Jannalynn is at his side and the air is shimmering around her already and she glares at Eric suspiciously.

"Hi" I say carefully.

Alcide smiles, "Welcome back Sookie" he says he turns towards Eric and nods, "Welcome to the Long Tooth Pack meeting Sheriff Northman" he says formally.

Eric nods but doesn't say anything and I grip his hand tightly as we walk inside.

The muttering starts as soon as we enter, I feel Eric stiffen and he silently speaks to me.

_What are they thinking, do they mean you harm? _ He asks and I feel his anger rising through the bond.

I open my mind and listen going from Were to Were and listening to their thoughts.

_What the hell are they doing here?_

_Oh my god it is true she is a vamp now._

_Why are they here?_

_Was she forced when he turned her?_

_What the hell?_

_Is Alcide out of his mind, what is he playing at?_

_He isn't fit to be pack master inviting deaders here_, I pause and make a point of making a mental note of that one and then quickly pull Alcide to one side. Eric is on edge and practically screaming at me inside my head to tell him what I heard. I turn and look at him and smile flooding the bond with calm reassurance.

_Nothing good, usual suspiciousness but the aggression is levelled at Alcide for inviting us, I'll tell you in a moment _then I turn to Alcide and out loud I say "Alcide a word".

He nods and we head into the nearby room, "What is it?" he asks.

I repeat what I heard the Were in question say and Alcide's face darkens.

"Who was it?" he asks.

"I don't know his name, I'll show you I'll go out there and stand next to him" I say.

Alcide nods "Would you listen to everyone else and see if there are others who think this way?" he asks "I will pay you to do so" he adds.

I shake my head, "Consider this a freebee of what I can now do, you wanted me to listen to the pack before I did this as a business, so consider this one on me as a gesture of goodwill between the Weres and Vampires" I say Alcide considers this and nods.

"Thank you" he says gratefully.

"No problem, just don't forget it" I say, as I walk back out into the main room.

I make a beeline for the Were and stand next to him and whisper in his ear.

"You seem to have forgotten that I am a telepath" I whisper.

He stares at me realising that not only do I know what he has said, but that I have reported it to Alcide.

"You can hear Weres now?" he asks nervously.

I smile a fangy smile and nod, "Oh yeah, loud and clear, why do you think I'm here tonight?" I whisper menacingly.

I resume my listening and no-one else thinks anything quite so incriminating and I shake my head at Alcide and he looks relieved. Eric sidles up to me and grips my hand.

_Are you going to tell me what happened? _ He asks.

_In a nutshell curious Weres wondering why we are here and the usual thoughts of wondering if I was forced but there was one guy who thought something pretty incriminating along the lines of thinking that Alcide shouldn't be pack master for having us here but Alcide now knows and he is going to speak._

I wait for Eric to respond but he doesn't he stands stock still waiting for Alcide to speak. I wonder for a moment if he has gone into downtime he is so still but I know he wouldn't do that, not here. I notice that since Eric joined me an exclusion zone has appeared around us, all the Weres have moved themselves away from us.

Alcide throws his head back and howls and Jannalynn yips loudly three times, then the pack in unison all howl in return, it never fails to look strange to me seeing the Weres in human form howling.

Silence falls and Alcide starts to speak.

"Tonight we have Sookie Northman here with her husband the former area five vampire sheriff Eric Northman" this produces murmurs around the pack as this is news to them that Eric is no longer sheriff.

Alcide continues to speak, "as you all know Sookie has been a friend of the pack for a long time and done us many good turns. Sookie is now a...vampire, but this does not have any bearing on her status as friend of the pack, since she became a vampire she can now hear Weres clearly and she has agreed to undertake shaman duties for the pack as and when we need them, we are incredibly fortunate to have such a gifted telepath willing to help us. It makes no difference to me that Sookie has chosen to be a vampire, that was a decision she made for personal reasons and nothing to do with me or the pack, she is still the same person who she was before, and as she pointed out to me I turn into a wolf once a month" he pauses and I smile as that isn't exactly how it happened or what I said but I can see why he modified it.

I turn my attention back to Alcide who is speaking again. "I want the pack to show Sookie the same respect as you always have and disregard that fact that she is now a vampire, and I ask that everyone make her husband welcome tonight as a gesture of goodwill" he stops as growling echoes around the room.

I turn and look at the Weres my anger rising considerably at their reaction to Eric. Eric feels my anger and grabs my arm and wraps his free arm around me holding me tightly like he did when I got angry with Niall. He gives Alcide a meaningful look.

"How dare you?" I say loudly, "You insult my husband and yet at this moment he is protecting each and every one of you" I say.

The Weres look at Eric holding me and they shuffle restlessly.

"I will ask you one question, why do you hate vampires?" I stop and wait for answers.

"You can't trust them" one Were shouts.

There is a chorus of agreement.

I look around the room, "So vampires are untrustworthy are they?" I retort, "since I have joined them I have discovered that they think literally, and make sure everything is put into a written contract so that there is no misunderstanding or ambiguousness, they expect favours in return for help which is understandable - nobody does anything for nothing, I don't consider that untrustworthy I consider that smart and straightforward. Why do you all persist in these ancient stereotypical prejudices because when you do put aside your differences and work together look at what you can achieve, look at how y'all worked together in the Witch war" I let that sink in for a moment and there is murmuring around the room.

"Nobody is perfect, nobody is better than anyone else, why can't everyone just get along, and stop fighting, humans are narrow minded enough and as supes we have to face prejudice and unfairness from humans daily – look how y'all have been treated since you revealed yourselves - and incidentally the vampires publicly came out in support of y'all that night, so surely we should always have that united front we shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves" I pause as the murmuring gets louder.

"I know what I am talking about, I was called crazy Sookie because the rest of the human race couldn't deal with my gift, a gift that in the supernatural world makes me worth something. Yes I am a vampire now, but I also understand other groups, I lived as human for years but I was a human with a difference, I got that difference from a gift from a demon because I possessed the essential spark because my great grandfather was Niall Brigant of the Sky Fae, my best friend and employer until recently is Sam Merlotte – a shifter, I am a friend of the Long Tooth Pack and my brother turns into a were panther once a month, I can see every point of view because I have lived from every point of view, and so I can't understand why there has to be this animosity, the things you could achieve if you put aside your short sighted prejudice, but that's just what I think" I say and shrug. Alcide grins at me and I hear him think that I am incredible.

I feel Eric's pride and love overwhelm me and then something amazing happens the shocked silence in the room is broken by applause, the female Weres start clapping and slowly the applause ripples through the pack until everyone is clapping. Eric carefully lets me go and I smile around at everyone.

Alcide steps forward, "Who agrees with this notion of cooperation and comradeship with the Vampires?" he asks.

"I am prepared to try" Jannalynn says immediately and stands beside him, and after she has done this one by one the rest of the pack steps forward to pledge their agreement. The Were who had thoughts against Alcide steps forward.

"You all agree to this, and yet she has been listening to our thoughts all night" he says, trying to stir up trouble once more.

I nod in agreement, "he is right I did, and I don't apologise for it, I was nervous, the atmosphere in here was hostile and I wanted to know what I was walking into and I needed to know that my husband and I would be safe, and in answer to the thoughts I heard, Yes it is true I am a vampire now, no I wasn't forced it was entirely my choice, the reason I am here is because I was invited to be here after having a conversation with Alcide and Jannalynn and no Alcide hasn't lost his mind."

I pause and turn towards the Were who thought badly of Alcide, "and in answer to your specific thought. Yes I believe that Alcide is fit to be pack master he is a modern thinking Were who is prepared to look outside the box and establish new links with other supernatural communities, that is in my mind progressive, oh and one more thing, I don't like the derogatory term deaders any more than you like to be called dogs or mutts so please don't use that term again" I turn to Alcide and he smiles, but the smile vanishes as he looks at the young Were.

"Do you accept the changes?" he asks.

I watch as the Weres all stare at the man they are growling at him and he swallows hard, I look at Jannalynn and she is having difficulty controlling herself.

"No" the man says, and with that the air shimmers and the pack turns then as one they pounce on the Were and rip him to shreds.

"Not really in keeping with the peace and cooperation thing I was pushing for" I whisper to Eric.

He snorts, "This is pack business, nothing to do with us" he watches for a moment and then turns his attention back to me "Does this mean we can go now?" he asks.

"Hang on, I think they've finished" I say.

The Weres separate and Alcide wanders over in wolf form and sits in front of me, I stroke his head.

"We are going to head off now" I say.

I know instinctively that Alcide knows what we are saying and I realise I can hear his thoughts now he is in wolf form, something I could never do before.

Alcide stands and howls and as one the pack gather around us and escort us from the building.

"What are they doing?" Eric asks.

"Offering us the protection of the pack – it's a great honour" I say. Silently I tell Eric that I can also hear Were thoughts while the pack are in wolf form which is something new.

As we get outside Alcide walks forward and Eric turns and nods to him and Alcide dips his furry head. It's a wonderful moment and I realise that in that moment we made supernatural history.

**oooOOOooo**

Word of my visit to the Were pack and the historical agreement soon gets around and it has increased my reputation as a bad ass as a result and I have never been busier I have noticed that I am being hired more and more act as an intermediary and peace keeper rather than as a tool of power, it appears that very slowly I am changing attitudes and preconceptions which have been ingrained in the supernatural community forever.

I am a vampire who manages to cross boundaries and bring together different supernatural communities and get them working in harmony it is unheard of and I am considered a phenomenon. The fact I am also immune to silver has also caused some ripples and I am also considered someone not to be angered or messed about with amongst vampire circles as I carry a silver dagger as my weapon of choice and also because I have been trained by Eric and Thalia compounds that reputation.

A couple of weeks after the pack meeting I participate in a situation which helps to establish and strengthen this new reputation I have, I am in California with a group of vampires who are hiring some Weres as daytime body guards. I notice that although I was hired by the vampires to read the Weres, I am trusted by the Weres to have their best interests at heart as well.

It is also at this meeting that I accidentally overhear some interesting information regarding Felipe De Castro who is incarcerated in Nevada.

"Mr Northman, Mrs Northman, I am delighted to meet you" a small brown haired vampire says as he stands in front of us and nods politely.

I return the nod, but I can only think how much this guy reminds me of a ferret and not in a good way. Eric can obviously hear my thoughts and his face is a mask of impassiveness but he tells me to behave myself silently and I am getting pure amusement from him.

I return my attention to the small beady eyed vampire.

"You are?" I ask.

"Edgar Granger at your service Mrs Northman, I am the lieutenant to his majesty the king of California" he simpers.

"Oh I see" I say I'm not impressed even though he seems to think his position is a big deal.

I glance at Eric, "Lieutenant that's a second isn't it honey?" I ask, feigning ignorance as I noticed that the vampire totally disregarded my husband and didn't even acknowledge him.

Eric nods, "That is correct, you are learning well" he says.

I look back at Edgar, "Is he your maker?" I ask.

Edgar laughs, "No Mrs Northman, I wasn't that fortunate, my maker met his final death many years ago" he says.

I cock my head to one side, "I'm sorry" I say.

"Don't be sorry" Edgar replies.

"So what is it you want me to do?" I ask.

"We are hiring several Weres as daytime security and we need to check their trustworthiness" he says.

"Lead the way" I say.

Eric and I follow Edgar and he leads us into a large room where I see a group of men sitting waiting. I look and know immediately that these are the candidates.

"Leave me with them and let me talk to them" I say.

Edgar nods and he leaves me, Eric kisses me and leaves the room with Edgar.

I walk over to the Weres who look at me suspiciously, I open my mind up and take a preliminary look and find nothing incriminating in any of them, which is a good start, but they are suspicious of me, wondering who I am.

"Hi guys, my name is Sookie Northman, and I have come to have a chat with y'all about what is going to happen tonight" I say.

I offer them all a huge grin and open my mind up wider to them.

The thoughts of one were immediately catches my attention.

_Is that Quinn's Sookie?_

I turn to face the Were, "I'm married to Eric Northman" I say to him, "But I did previously have a relationship with John Quinn a while ago" I add.

The Were looks astounded, "I am also a telepath, I am here to decipher if any of you have any bad intentions" I say.

This may seem a ridiculous thing to do but it weeds out a lot of the trouble makers at once, I know that because I have said that if anyone does have any bad intentions they will automatically think about them whether they want to or not even if it is if they are telling themselves not to think about it or to put themselves on guard. I am delighted to discover than everyone is clean and passes this test.

I smile widely, "Well guys, I need you to know that I am not a part of the California retinue my husband and I are from Louisiana and we are just the hired help" I say.

The Were who wondered about my relationship with Quinn picks up his head once more "Are you that vamp who is a friend of the Long Tooth pack and who has brought together the vampires and Weres in Shreveport?" he asks.

I beam at him, "Yes that's me, and do you know Alcide?" I ask.

The Were nods, "he is a distant cousin" he says.

The other Weres listen to this and I feel them relaxing slightly.

"So, you are not here to cause trouble or make up stuff about us?" another Were says.

I stare at him in shock, "No not at all, I have been employed to read you all and give my opinion if I hear anything which could either count in your favour or against you" I say.

The Weres nod "so you are, like, representing us to the vampires?" Another says.

I think about that and nod, "Yes I suppose you could look at it like that" I say.

There are murmurs around the room and the Weres close in all eager to meet with me.

I talk to each one in turn and set their minds at rest. I get lots of interesting information without even trying as they have lowered their guard, I am quite surprised about this and I say as much.

"You guys are very accepting of me" I say.

Alcide's cousin speaks up again, "You are a friend of a were pack that means a lot to each and every one of us, and if Alcide can trust you, despite the fact you are...one of them, then that's fine by me" he says.

"Well that's good to know" I say.

"Excuse me Miss" another Were says speaking up.

I turn towards him. "Yes" I say.

"Are you that telepath who saved the vampires, Weres and humans at Rhodes?" he asks.

I nod "Yes I am" I admit.

The murmurs travel between the Weres and they move a little closer and I feel them relax even more.

"How much do you charge for your services?" one Were asks.

I shrug, "It depends on what you need, how far I have to travel and how long I will be working with you" I say.

"You work for Weres as well as vamps?" another asks.

I nod, "I do, I offer my services to anyone who needs it and is willing to pay, I can hear Weres clearly and I am prepared to undertake shaman duties for Were packs that need it" I say.

I quickly explain my background and how it is my desire to stop the suspicion and distrust between all the supes and I am pleased and surprised when they appear to agree with me.

"Will you be there when we are being interviewed?" One were asks.

I nod, "I believe so" I say.

As I talk to each Were I listen to them and glean a lot of information from each one, they are all here because they want the work and vampires pay well, but not one of them really wants to work for vampires as there is this underlying distrust.

"What would the vampire community have to do to dispel the ingrained suspicion I am getting from y'all?" I ask.

One Were barks out a laugh, "They would need to be more like you, and treat us with respect and as equals to them, rather than beneath them" he says.

I nod, "yeah I've noticed since I became a vampire, that a lot of them are pretty up themselves, they think they are superior to everyone else" I say.

There is a rumble of laughter around the Weres.

"To be fair though, vampires are straightforward and trustworthy everything is written down in a contract and there can be no misunderstanding" I say.

There are nods of agreement at this.

By the time Edgar returns I have plenty of information from every Were and not one of them realise I have it.

"Mrs Northman if I could have a word" Edgar says.

I smile, "Ok" I say, and turn to the Weres "good luck everyone" I say and there is a chorus of thank you as I leave with a stunned looking Edgar.

As soon as we are alone he turns to me. "Mrs Northman, with respect, these Weres are not your friends you are here to read them and discover if they are trustworthy to be employed for his majesty" he says derisively.

I stare at the jumped up little twit, and it takes all my self control not to call him that, "With respect, I do things my way, and I have discovered far more from those Weres by being nice and friendly than if I treated them like every other vamp does, have you never heard the concept that you get more out of people with kindness?" I say sharply.

Edgar snorts and I can hear that he thinks that is rubbish and there is no way he is lowering himself to be pleasant to the hired help and he says as much to me.

I lean forward, "but I am also the hired help" I say.

Edgar stares at me, "but you are a vampire Mrs Northman" he says as if this makes all the difference in the world.

"I am now" I say, "was human with a pinch of Fae and a dash of demon who was and still is a friend of the pack of Weres and I believe that nobody is better than anyone else" I say.

"But" he argues.

I hold up my hand, "If you are not prepared to treat those men with the common courtesy they deserve, I will cancel my contract with you immediately" I say.

"That won't be necessary Mrs Northman" a smooth voice says.

I turn and see a tall distinguished looking vampire staring at me.

He walks forward and smiles a fangy smile.

"Robert Hamilton king of California" he says.

I bow slightly, "Your majesty" I say.

"You have interesting beliefs Mrs Northman" he says, "and I apologise if my lieutenant has offended you" he adds.

I nod, "I think everyone should be treated with respect and you get more out of people if you treat them nice, I have created a unique relationship between Weres and Vampires back home, we treat each other with respect and as equals and the alliance is proving to be successful as a result".

The king nods, "I have heard a great deal about you Mrs Northman" he says.

I raise my eyebrows and it is in that moment I hear him think of Felipe.

"Such as?" I ask.

"The trial of Felipe de Castro for starters, it is unheard of for a vampire monarch to offer a human as you were then the Oath of Protection" he says. Edgar stares at me as if I am some kind of mythical creature.

"Yes I know, but Felipe only did that as he wanted to own me he saw me as an asset and a possession and he learnt the hard way that I am none of those things and now he is suffering for his decisions".

I glance at Edgar as I say this because as I say it I get the thoughts of the planned take over of Nevada from Edgar's head, he thinks that I have some strange ideas but hopefully the king will persuade me to join him and work for him.

The king smiles and I get his thoughts of how he wants me in his retinue and how he hopes that when he takes over Nevada I will be persuaded to join him, by force if necessary.

I decide to shut this down quickly and stamp on those ideas he is having. "Yes it was quite annoying, if there is one thing that pisses me off more than anything then it is to be considered an asset and possession, I am a freelance telepath who is available for anyone to hire for assignments" I say with more than a hint of warning.

The king cocks his head to one side and smiles "and what do you do if anyone forgets that fact?" he asks with amusement, he thinks I am all talk, and he is testing me to see if the reputation I hold is deserved.

I smile and with more than a bit of flair I pull out my silver dagger, the two vampires shrink back in fear at the sight of the dagger, "I am fortunate to have been trained to a high level by my husband and I am immune to silver, so I can be quite persuasive when it comes to reminding people of my wishes" I say.

I send Eric a quick message to join me and a moment later he appears in the room under the pretext of asking if I am hungry as he felt something through our bond.

"Sookie my love, I am sensing your hunger" he says simply.

The king glances at me nervously as does Edgar, newborns are notoriously volatile and he doesn't want me going nuts here. I smile at Eric. "Hi honey, I am actually, it is a bit of a nuisance being a newborn vampire, one can be so easily riled by anyone" I say innocently.

Eric hands me a bottle of Trueblood, "Here, drink this it will ease your craving and calm you, don't force me use a makers command" he says, and he pulls me close as though he is soothing me, silently he says, _what is it, what have you heard or are you just teasing these vampires?_

As I drink the Trueblood Eric and I have a silent conversation.

_The king wants me as an asset, and he is planning a coup, he wants to take over Nevada_ I say.

_Ok, I take it you showed them your dagger and pointed out that you are freelance? _Eric asks.

_I did and it seemed to have the desired effect, that is scared the pants off them _I say.

_Good, now as for the takeover, that is good to know but none of our concern, nobody came to Louisiana's aid when Felipe planned his takeover, he deserves what he gets _he says, with more than a hint of bitterness in his tone.

"Ok?" Eric asks out loud.

I nod, "thank you honey, you do look after me" I say.

The king watches as Eric kisses me, "As your maker and your husband it is my honour to – you are mine" he says.

I grin, "and you are the only one who gets away with saying that" I say.

Eric laughs "I know my love, but it is always entertaining to watch you educate others of your dislike of being claimed" he turns to the king and to Edgar, "she is quite stunningly awesome when angry" he says and then bows at the king and nods at Edgar before leaving the room.

I listen to the king and Edgar and neither of them wants to anger Eric they know he has a reputation of being a bad ass warrior and neither of them believe that they would stand a chance against him in combat. They are also nervous about me now, because of my immunity to silver this gives me a huge advantage and the fact I have a reputation as a killer from before I became a vampire is making them wary now that I have had proper training. But of course they would never let me know that and as far as they are concerned their thoughts are safe.

"Are we going to proceed with the interviews?" I ask innocently.

Edgar nods, "Indeed, if your majesty agrees" he simpers and bows deeply.

The king nods, "Yes lets get this over with, and if you would be so kind as to join me with your husband when you have completed your assignment?" he asks.

I don't fail to notice that he asked me rather than demanded and I nod, "Sure" I say brightly.

The king leaves and Edgar calls in the Weres.

"Shall we proceed?" Edgar asks.

"Ready when you are" I say as I sit down at his side.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

The evening wears on and as I sit in on the interviews I know that the king is watching everything even though he is isn't personally in the room. I spotted the large mirror on the wall straight away and it raised my suspicions. I focussed on it and heard the King's thoughts immediately and that confirmed my suspicions at once that it was a two way mirror and that the king is watching from a concealed room behind it. All the Were's file in and take a seat along the back wall and wait.

I open my mind up and realise that there are two vampire guards with the king and... now this is a surprise...a Were, I am momentarily thrown by this discovery but I pull myself together and focus in on the Were, it's a female and...Oh, I wasn't expecting that either! She is in love with the king, I need him to think about her, although I have a feeling she is probably just a pet to him, but if she is why is he allowing her to be present unless he is indulging her because he is employing Weres; I need to know what is going on here. So I look at the mirror carefully, making it totally obvious now that it has my full attention rather than the men in the room, Edgar immediately notices me.

"Is there a problem Mrs Northman?" he asks nervously.

I nod, "I can hear another Were" I say, and walk over to the mirror and touch it, immediately I can hear the Were the other side of the mirror panic and empty her head and then I get the king's thoughts, he is impressed and amused by the fact I can hear her, his thought pattern alters and is now focussed on her, and what it is now is telling me that he is reassuring her – it hits me, she isn't a pet, he loves her, that surprises me more than anything.

"There is a room behind here and there is a female Were watching us, she is deeply in love with the King" I say and the Weres in the room are all shocked at this news. They abandon their seats and come over to the mirror and sniff around it.

"I smell nothing" one Were says.

"How?" another asks.

"I can hear her thoughts" I say tapping my head. "She is an exceptionally loud broadcaster" I add then I laugh "she is trying not to think anything now, so she can obviously hear us and what are saying about her" I say.

The Weres are not happy with this and they look at me "Why does she spy on us?" one Were asks.

I listen to her and shake my head, "I don't know, she won't let me listen to her, she is thinking about a song and going through it in her mind so not to give me any more information" I say. I turn to face the mirror, "I'm not sure about your taste in music" I say to the Were behind it, almost immediately I get amusement from the king at my comment. I decide that this needs to be sorted as the Weres are getting more and more agitated.

"ERIC" I shout loudly and I also for call him silently, a second later he is in the room beside me.

I point at the mirror, "we are being watched, spied on, there is a Were, and I can sense three vampire voids" I say "I'm not happy about this, I feel as though they don't trust me, I have been trying to tell these Weres that vampires can be trusted and then the king does something as underhand as this, I'm not happy," I say.

In my head I then say _The Were appears to be in love with the King and he with her, this could be huge for Vampire/Were relations here if we can just get him to admit it._

Eric nods and leaves the room, then I sense him behind the mirror and I know he has found his way in. A few moments later the king reappears, along with Eric the two vampire guards and the young Were, she looks nervously at the other Weres in the room.

"Why did you do this your majesty?" I ask and I shake my head showing my disappointment.

The king raises his hands and looks apologetically at me.

"Mrs Northman I meant no insult to you or your abilities, but my...friend wanted to see you, she has heard many things about you through your links with the Weres and she asked if she could watch you in action". He stops I turn to the woman.

"Is this true?" I ask.

The Were nods blankly, I look closely at her, "She has been glamoured" I say with disgust and the Weres around me growl. This could go either way and the king senses it.

The king turns to the two guards "leave us" he says and the two guards turn and leave.

After the guards have gone I turn to the king, "she is your lover isn't she?" I ask.

After a moment of astonishment the king nods, and then looks ashamed.

I smile, "You, a vampire king loves a Were, and you are afraid that if your relationship became public you would be seen as weak, which is why you glamoured her not to tell us that you are a couple" I say. The group of Weres are listening carefully and their agitation has receded as they watch my interaction with the king.

"How?" the king asks.

I don't tell him I got that directly from his head, instead I give him a plausible explanation.

"I read her before you glamoured her and then put two and two together, her love for you was so powerful, that is what attracted me to the mirror, it was practically screaming at me and even you your majesty, I walk up to him and close my eyes making a show of this to try and hide the fact I have read his thoughts, you are even displaying emotions which I can sense" I say, almost with a hint of surprise, which adds to the plausibility of my explanation. But the fact is, it _is_ actually true and something I didn't expect, as it has never happened before and Eric is watching me carefully. I can feel the kings love for this woman, he loves her that much.

The king and Edgar look resigned as though they think something terrible has just happened.

"Wouldn't you like to live a world where a vampire could be in love with a Were and nothing would be insinuated?" I ask gently, "Wouldn't you like to proclaim your love for your mate and not be assumed to be weak for doing so?" I ask.

The king nods, "I love her" he says simply.

I nod and smile, "That is the sort of world I am trying to create, tolerance and understanding between species of supes and the openness to love between species, you can't help who you fall in love with, I learnt that one" I say and glance at Eric who is sending love and pride through our bond.

"If you don't mind me saying so your majesty, not hiding who you love and being open and honest about it takes more strength than hiding the fact and I believe makes you a stronger vampire not a weaker one" I say.

The king stares at Eric realising what I am saying.

"Marissa, come here" the king says and the Were turns to face him, I can feel their love and it makes me smile, it reminds me of what I have with Eric, it is the real deal.

He pulls her to one side and removes the glamour and then taking her in his arms kisses her passionately.

"Your majesty - the interviews," Edgar says eventually as everyone in the room is focussed on the kissing couple.

The king pulls away, "Of course please continue," he says and he sits down with his were in the corner.

The meeting restarts and I give Edgar the low down on the Weres I have read, when the interviews are concluded they all are given employment with the king and I listen to them, they are all displaying a new found appreciation for vampires and they are all surprised and yet happy with this.

"Now y'all need to respect each other and remember that no-one is better than anyone else, you rely on these Weres to keep you safe during the daytime, and you guys rely on him for your pay cheques, so it's all about give and take. Treat people with respect and you will get more out of them and inspire more loyalty" I say.

"Thank you Mrs Northman, you are very wise" the king says.

"You are welcome" I reply.

**oooOOOooo**

A week later we get the unsurprising news that Robert the king of California has over run Nevada, we were expecting it after what I heard, although we weren't expecting it to happen quite so quickly.

Felipe is dead and we also get the news that the king has married and openly declared his love for Marissa. The take over was unique as it wasn't just vampires fighting in the coup, they were working side by side with Weres.

Again not quite the message of peace I was hoping to pass on, but definitely progress and the king is telling anyone who will listen how he has been shown this new way by a wise young vampire from Louisiana, which has added even more to my reputation which is now reaching almost mythical status.

The takeover has resulted in one unexpected yet positive occurrence we now have ourselves a new day person, shortly after we got word that Nevada was now part of California, Greg the human who had helped us and protected me while we were Las Vegas when we got married turned up unexpectedly in Shreveport. He told us of the new regime and how he had decided to use that as his opportunity to leave.

He came to Fangtasia looking for Eric, assuming he was still the area 5 sheriff. Eric and I had immediately jumped at the chance of offering him the position of day person for us as we both knew him and knew what a good worker he was. He told us how the king and his vampires swept through the state and it was a coordinated attack the like not seen before with Vampires sweeping through the state and then the Were's finishing off during the day time eliminating the opposition who refused to yield to the new regime. The first thing any of the vampires living there knew was when it was announced that Felipe had met his final death.

I have to admit though, that although I am a little shocked at the seemingly callous nature of the take over I am happy with the outcome, I'm not sad that Felipe has met his final death, and the fact that King Robert is taking on board my message of cooperation is just a bonus. Eric and I send the king our own personal message of congratulations on his new position as king of Nevada and on his marriage.

Personally though, I am not doing so well. Since I have been home I have been experiencing really bad nightmares. I am getting to the point where I am dreading the dawn coming, Eric is worried about me I can tell, every night I wake up terrified by the sights I have witnessed, it is always something of Eric's past with Ocella and what that bastard did to him that I witness in my dream and I see and I feel his fear and his pain when I observe what that bastard did to him and when we discuss what I saw, we discover that Eric has had the same dream, but the fact we are both trapped in these dreams, and Eric is reliving his past horrors until we are able to rise at nightfall is the worst part of all.

"What can be causing it?" I ask after the fifth consecutive day.

Eric holds me tightly, "I don't know, I don't understand it, it could be that our bond is so unique but I have never heard of anything like this before" he says.

"I wonder if..." I stop.

"What?" Eric asks.

"What if I call Mr Cataliades he might have some ideas?" I ask.

Eric nods and hands me my phone, "Call him," he demands, "Anything is worth a try, I have spoken to Pam and Thalia and they are both at a loss as to what could be the cause, neither of them have heard of such a thing before" he adds.

When Mr Cataliades picks up the call I quickly outline the problem and he sounds concerned and tells us he will come over and be arriving shortly. I thank him and hang up and turn to Eric to tell him that he is on his way.

The next thing I hear is a knock at the back door, I go out and there stands Mr Cataliades and to my great surprise, Dermot.

"Uncle Dermot" I say in surprise.

"I was with Desmond and he told me of your call and explained your difficulties, I came to offer my assistance as I have a theory as to what could be the cause of this, as it sounds familiar" he says.

"Oh ok" I say, I feel Eric at my side. "Uncle Dermot wants to help too, he has an idea what it could be" I say.

Eric doesn't say anything and I know he having difficulty holding on to his self control with my uncle smelling more strongly of Fae than I did, in fact I have to hold myself in check as I feel myself inching towards him.

Dermot takes off around the outside of the house muttering and whispering then he cries out and we all rush over he is pointing at a patch of worn grass near an air vent situated on the wall of our bedroom.

"What's that?" I ask.

Dermot is on his hands and knees and sniffing the patch of ground, "I smell a Sheema" he says.

"She...what?" I ask.

"A Sheema" Eric says, he appears to know what this means but I stare blankly at Dermot waiting for him to explain.

Dermot nods, "A kind of fire sprite, very rare" he explains, "they are inherently evil and wicked, they feed off the fears of humans mainly, and they manipulate humans by giving them nightmares and then gorge themselves by feeding off the fear they produce.

"Can they do that to vampires as well?" I ask.

Dermot shakes his head, "No, not normally, but having said that you are not an ordinary vampire, and the fact you possess the essential spark within you, the Sheema can establish a link to you through that" he says, he comes up to me and sniffs me, "I can smell Sheema magic on you" he says.

"What does this mean and how am I being targeted as I too have been experiencing nightmares but I possess nothing which could link me with this creature?" Eric asks.

Dermot shakes his head, "yes you do Eric, you have Sookie" he says, he turns back to me, "You Sookie are being stalked by a Sheema Fire Sprite, and I assume because your bond with Eric is so unique and strong that is the reason he is also experiencing the dreams, simply because you are, that is the only explanation I can come up with to explain it as Eric is Vampire not Fae, and it has created a three way vicious cycle, the more you dream the more Eric remembers and then passes on to you and the more the Sheema can gorge on your combined fear and negativity" Dermot says he touches the ground and then sniffs his fingers. "Zaheera" he says.

"What?" I ask.

"Her name is Zaheera" Dermot says "this is an interesting development" he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because she returned to the Faery, I saw her there when I was there" he says.

"So how did she get back here, the portals were closed and sealed?" I ask.

"Someone must have re-opened a portal to allow her to get through" he says.

"Who would do that?" I ask.

"Someone who wants to cause trouble between you and Eric, because the nightmares you are experiencing involve Eric" Dermot says.

"Yes but how?" I ask, totally at a loss and struggling to make sense of it all.

Dermot nods, "the idea is you will dread going to your day death and begin to resent Eric for the memories you believe you are receiving from him, causing discord which will give Zaheera even more to gorge on and hopefully eventually create a permanent rift even make you separate" Dermot says, "so someone has gone to great lengths to send Zaheera back here so they clearly have a huge grudge against you and Eric" he says.

"How do we stop this?" I ask.

"I'll ward the house, and cover the vent, as she is assigned to you so she won't be able to feed from anyone else, so if she can't get access to you she will starve, as she gets weaker she will be easer to capture" Dermot says.

Eric and I watch as Dermot wards the house, I see him pay particular attention to the air vent and I can smell the magic circulating and I watch as Eric's nostrils flair at the smell, I too am attracted to it but I find with a little effort I can I hold myself in check.

"Go somewhere if the Fae scent is troubling you" I say to Eric as I feel his discomfort.

"Doesn't this gorgeous smell affect you at all?" Eric asks looking at me with surprise.

I shake my head, "Yes it does, but Dermot is my family I could not and would not attack or feed from him" I say.

Eric shakes his head in surprise at my vehement proclamation, "You truly are a unique vampire" he says.

When Dermot returns he smiles at us, "The nightmares should start to recede now" he says.

"Thank you" I say, I look at Dermot carefully. "Are you doing ok Uncle Dermot?" I ask.

He nods and smiles, "I am doing very well, I am working with Jason, on the road crew, and I am enjoying it immensely, I feel as though I am worth something, being part of something and I feel for the first time in my life that I belong and am worthy" he says.

I smile at him, "I'm glad and I can relate, that's exactly how I feel now that I am a vampire, Jason isn't taking advantage of you though is he?" I ask, as I know how selfish my brother can be.

Dermot shakes his head, "No, he and I seem to share an affinity, when we are together he is less selfish and we make a good team. He has invited me to his home for meals several times and I have met his mate, I am making friends with people on the road crew as well, I have a particular affinity with Hoyt, he was quite astonished by the physical likeness between myself and Jason but since we have been so closely involved our differences have made themselves more visible and we are not as physically alike any more".

I listen to Dermot excitedly telling me of his new life and how happy he is and I feel a little sad to bring him back to why he is here.

"So who do you think let the Sheema out of the Faery?" I ask.

"I don't know, but I have my suspicions" he says.

"Is there any way we can stop whoever it is doing something like this again?" I ask.

Dermot nods, "It would mean placing a seal on every portal on this side of each portal so that even if it is opened from the Faery nobody will be able to pass through" he says.

"How many portals are there in total?" I ask.

"About 150" he says.

"So few?" I ask in surprise.

Dermot nods, "Yes, they were set up near to where there is kin of the Fae, for example in your wood, that portal is now totally sealed though as I did that when I returned," he says.

"So how do we go about sealing these portals will we have to travel to them?" I ask.

Dermot shakes his head, "No niece, if you give me your hand so I can access your essential spark, which incidentally has strengthened significantly since you became a vampire" he says.

This is news to me "so as well as being a vampire I am also more Fae?" I ask.

Dermot nods "that is correct niece" he says and he holds his hand out for mine.

I glance at Eric and then offer my hand to Dermot.

"You may want to step away Eric as the Fae scent will be overpowering for a few moments" he says.

Eric nods and walks away from us.

Then I feel magic coursing through me, my whole body is thrumming with it and Dermot closes his eyes and starts muttering, he counts and I realise he is locating all the portals and sealing them remotely from this realm. After about 10 minutes he opens his eyes. My fangs have dropped at the increased Fae scent and Mr Cataliades is watching me carefully, in case I lose the control I am desperately trying to hang on to.

"There" Dermot says, "It is done, they are all sealed."

I look at Mr Cataliades and he nods, "they are all sealed" he confirms.

"So this Sheema is now trapped here but unable to feed?" I ask.

Dermot nods, "Yes, you will be able to capture her quite easily after a couple of days, and if you feed from her after you have captured her you will break her spell over you and Eric and you will stop seeing his memories as nightmares" Dermot says.

"So I have to drain her?" I ask.

Dermot nods, "that would be best all round" he says.

"Thank you" I reply.

Dermot smiles, "You are very welcome niece" he says, he looks up and fear crosses his face I look to see what has worried him and I see Eric returning and he has Pam at his side, as they approach I hear Eric explaining everything that has happened here tonight and the theory which Dermot came up with as a result.

Dermot shrinks back from the two vampires.

"I mean you no harm fairy" Pam says, although the fact her nostrils are flaring and she licks her lips kind of betrays how she is really feeling.

"Eric called and told me about the Sheema, I have experienced one of these before many years ago, I thought they were extinct now it has been years since I encountered one" she explains to me, and then returns her attention back to Dermot, "Who sent the fire sprite?" she asks.

Dermot turns towards her, "My best guess would be either a member of the Sky Fae in retaliation for Sookie taking me in after I killed Niall – punishing her for siding with me, or it could be as punishment for becoming a vampire, or it could be some of the Water Fae – Breandans followers." Dermot says.

"I believe that is more unlikely" Mr Cataliades says immediately, "Fire Sprites and Water Fae generally don't form alliances, the elements which govern them are just too different" he explains.

"So, it would someone who loved Niall and is either punishing me for taking care of you or becoming a vampire, or possibly even a combination of both" I say.

Dermot nods, "My best guess would be Claude, he is still bitter and grief stricken at the death of Claudine and the baby, and while he held Niall partly responsible for that he was totally inconsolable when I killed him, he also agreed with Niall that you should be killed after we got word that you were now a vampire, he said you had betrayed your heritage and that you were too influenced by the vampires, which was a little hypocritical of him as he spent years being influenced by humans, he was also, how can I put this...too human to be in the Faery, as you know he had tried to appear more human and being back in the faery was a bit of a culture shock for him, and he became...unstable as a result" Dermot stops.

"Was it Claude who attacked you?" I ask.

Dermot nods, "He went insane with grief saying that I had betrayed Niall and I didn't deserve to live, he attacked me, but I got away and the rest you know" he says.

Pam listens carefully. "Will Sookie be in any danger from the fairies?" she asks.

Dermot shakes his head, "Not now, I have permanently sealed all the portals from this realm, no being can get through from the Faery now, "he says confidently.

"So, all I have to do catch this sprite and feed from her to end the enchantment over us, and then the dreams will stop?" I ask, just wanting to confirm this once more.

Dermot nods, "You should feel some relief from the nightmares without that, but because the link has been established between your dream state and Eric's memories they could remain until she is killed, I still am at a loss to explain how that happened at all."

"This is unbelievable" Pam says.

"You're telling me" I grumble.

"Our bond is truly unique" Eric says and he pulls me close and starts sniffing me.

"When you catch Zaheera please call me so I can come and hear for myself who sent her and why she was sent" Dermot asks as he carefully steps away from us.

I nod, "I will do, and thank you" I say.

Uncle Dermot and Mr Cataliades leaves and a while later so does Pam, Eric hasn't left my side and he is feeling far more amorous than usual, he keeps sniffing me and licking me and kissing me.

"For god's sake Eric, what has got into you?" I ask.

"You smell glorious, the increased Fae scent on you from the magic" he moans, as he continues to nuzzle against me.

For the first time in about a week I don't feel anxiety and trepidation as I go to ground for the day, Eric as usual is beside me, and as we lie in bed in our room sated from some very wild love making, something feels different, the room feels different now Dermot has warded the house.

"The room feels different" I say.

Eric nods in agreement, "I feel it also" he says.

"Well I'll see you tonight" I say.

Eric leans down and kisses me passionately, I respond and Eric once more pushes my knees apart.

"You can't possibly want more?" I ask.

"I always want more" Eric replies as he slides into me, but I don't respond as the dawn claims me.

**oooOOOooo**

I open my eyes and Eric is still inside me, he grins down at me and I realise we went to ground still joined and I giggle.

"I have to say I like waking up like this" I say as I thrust my hips forward.

Eric hisses and his hips move, I gasp and soon we are in the throws of passion once more, I feel myself let go and I cry out and Eric releases himself inside me.

As we regain our wits I realise I didn't have a nightmare.

"I didn't have a bad dream" I say.

Eric smiles "that is wonderful news, and neither did I, so your uncles wards are working and our little fire sprite must be hungry".

I get up and stretch and as I do so I glance out of the window and I see a flame moving across the garden and I call Eric over.

"Is that her?" I ask.

Eric looks where I am pointing and nods, "That is a fire sprite, she isn't too weak yet she still has her flame, but the fact you saw her proves she is hungry, she failed to feed from you last night under normal circumstances you wouldn't have seen her had she had her fill" he explains.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

_Three nights later..._

For the last three nights neither of us has experienced any nightmares, every night I see the Sheema Fire Sprite slinking away into the shadows and every night her flame gets less and less.

Tonight when Eric and I rise and look out of the window I see this tiny creature crawling very slowly across the lawn.

"Eric come and see" I say and in a moment Eric is beside me. "Is that the Sheema?" I ask.

"Yes she is starving, she has lost her flame and is very weak" he says.

"It hasn't taken long, will we be safe?" I ask nervous at the thought of the fire now that I am a vampire.

Eric smiles at me, "It is her own doing, she gorged on your fear and mine, she sealed her own fate, the more she gorged the stronger she initially became, but it made her more vulnerable as soon as the food source was gone, she deteriorated quicker if she had only been feeding from one person rather than two it would have taken over a week for her to reach this state" he explains. He takes another look at the sprite, "shall we do this thing?" he asks.

I nod and a moment later I am outside grabbing the creature by the throat. She struggles but is weak and can't fight me.

"Zaheera" I say and she stares at me in shock that I know her name. Eric pulls out his phone and calls Dermot and moments later he pops into the garden.

I look up and smile at him, "This is her isn't it?" I ask.

Dermot nods and walks closer, "Who sent you Zaheera?" he asks.

"I won't tell" the Sheema squeals and she struggles fruitlessly against my grip.

"You will tell" I growl and I squeeze a little harder.

"CLAUDE" she shrieks, "Claude sent me, he told me cause a rift between you two, he said I should focus on you, I didn't think it would work as you are vampires but Claude said you were Fae and that it would work, and it did."

She pauses and looks at Eric, I have no idea how I managed to link to you though, the only thing I can think of is, it must have been your blood bond and Claude must have known about your bond, because he wanted you separated from him so you would be easier to kill, he planned on sending a fairy to kill you" she says, she is weeping now.

I look at Dermot and he nods, "she speaks the truth" he says.

"Of course I speak the truth, you know I can't lie" she says. "How did you block me?" she asks.

Dermot smiles, "that was me, I warded the house" he says proudly.

"I tried to return to the faery, but the portal was gone, so I had no choice but to keep coming back and trying to get past the wards" Zaheera says sadly.

"That was me as well, I sealed the portals" Dermot says.

"How many more of you are here?" I ask.

She shakes her head, "There are no more, Niall plucked us all from this realm when he closed the portals, then he temporarily opened one after he got word you had been turned, but he made it so that only he could use it, then this one murdered him upon his return and so that portal was completely open once more, and Claude asked me to come, I knew Dermot was planning to come to this realm and he was injured so I slipped through the portal first, originally I was to come after Dermot and drive him insane but then Claude figured that you were a better target" she says.

She looks up at me I think she realises she is going to die.

"End it, kill her" Eric says coldly.

I nod and sink my fangs into the Sheema's neck she shrieks and I drink her blood it tastes almost fizzy and as I drink it I feel a pinging sensation deep in my head like elastic snapping. I keep drinking until the sprite has been drained and then I throw the limp drained body to the ground.

"I felt something" I say, "Like something snapping in my head" I say.

Eric turns to Dermot, "I felt the same thing" he says.

Dermot nods, "that is the Sheema's charm disappearing when she died" he says.

"What do I do with the body?" I ask and I look down, but to my surprise the Sheema has disintegrated into dust, the wind blows and the dust dissipates, "never mind" I say.

Eric walks over to me and hugs me, "Do you feel alright?" he asks.

I nod, "yes I feel good, really good actually after drinking that blood" I say. Dermot looks closely at me, almost as if he is examining me.

"You look wonderful," he says, almost in surprise and then he frowns slightly and carefully steps closer.

"Thank you uncle Dermot" I say and I ease myself out of Eric's arms and wrap myself around Dermot, I muster all the self control I have as he hugs me tightly and as he does so I feel an enormous sense of well being.

I know from the agitation in the bond that Eric dislikes me hugging Dermot, but as he hugs me he takes a deep sniff and then pauses. Lifting his hand he touches my chin and stares into my eyes, he is looking at me carefully now and he turns my face to the light coming out of the house.

"I thought so, but this cannot be," he mutters to himself.

"What?" I ask.

"There is something different about you niece, you appear ...it is impossible though, you are a vampire and your mate is a vampire and yet I'd swear...I ..." he stops, and leans towards me and sniffs me again, and his face breaks into a huge grin.

"What?" I ask getting slightly concerned now. I hold out my hand for Eric, anxiety is rippling through me and I want Dermot to explain himself.

Eric appears back at my side and wraps his arm around me, gently pulling me away from Dermot.

"What do you sense?" he asks Dermot.

Dermot looks at Eric, "It is unbelievable, it cannot be true and yet ...just smell her, take in her scent, and it will become apparent to you, it can't be, it is impossible and yet it appears to be fact" he rambles.

"Will someone tell me what is going on?" I ask getting more than a little antsy at Dermot talking in riddles.

Eric pulls me close and he buries his noise in my neck and inhales deeply, I feel his shock as he rears back, he stares at me and then pulling me close inhales again.

"This is impossible" he says.

"And yet you too can smell it," Dermot says.

"This is very new, I have not sensed this before now" Eric says as he sniffs me again.

"Look will someone tell me what is going on here?" I ask, getting increasingly louder.

Eric grips my shoulders and stares into my eyes then he sinks to his knees and presses his head against me, "It is true I sense it" he says and he stands up again staring at me in only what can be described as bewildered awe.

"WHAT?!" I yell, losing patience.

"You are with child Sookie," Eric says incredulously.

I stare at him as if he has just told me the world really is flat and I think I would have believed that more than what he has just told me.

"But?...I can't be...I mean...but?" I stammer.

I look at Dermot waiting for him to tell me that Eric has lost his mind but he stands grinning and nodding at me.

"It is true" he says, "You are pregnant, very newly pregnant but there is a child growing inside you" he says.

"I could hear the child's heartbeat inside you, very faintly but it was there and your scent has the unmistakable aroma of pregnancy and new life" Eric says, his hands are possessively fixed over my stomach as he stares down at me.

"I'm pregnant?" I say, "But how did it happen?" I add.

"Well ..." Eric says smugly.

I slap his arm, "I didn't mean how in that context, I know about the birds and the bees, I mean how... we are vampires and that means it is impossible, it means we can't" I say.

Dermot thinks carefully "I have no idea how this happened, but the only thing I can think of is that it could have something to do with the Sheema curse, Sookie is so uniquely bonded to you Eric, and with the fairy magic the Sheema used in conjunction with the increased strength of Sookie's essential spark it could have had this unexpected side effect, I could be totally wrong but I think that is the most logical albeit extraordinary and unbelievable explanation" he says.

"But" I stammer, thinking that this is all anything but logical.

Eric can sense my confusion and he wraps his arm around me, "Are you not happy about this?" he asks. He sends me comfort but I can also sense his anxiety, he wants this...badly.

I nod, "I am, I'm just...I never expected...I was resigned to the fact...I didn't think...I never considered it" I say, I know I am rambling and yet I don't care, I'm just too shocked.

Eric steps away from me and pulls out his phone once more and I hearing him talking and moments later Dr Ludwig pops up beside us.

"Are you out of your mind vampire, have you drunk some bad blood?" she snaps at Eric.

She turns and sees Dermot standing there, and gasps.

"What he says is true, and you believe this?" she says and she turns her attention to me, then she lifts my hand and licks it, her eyes widen and she drops my hand in shock, "it _is_ true – this is unbelievable, unheard of, unprecedented, this is...I shall be honoured to assist you through this I have never in all my years, this day we will be rewriting the history and rule books" she says.

Eric is beaming with pride and also a considerable amount of smugness, he calls for Pam and then returns his attention to his phone and calls Thalia and Mr Cataliades. A short while later the two vampires and demon come walking into the yard.

"What has happened?" Pam asks, silently she asks _what is this nonsense I hear about a child?_

Eric wraps his arm around me, "Sookie is pregnant, she carries my child" he says and lays his hand protectively on my stomach.

Pam and Thalia, glance at each other and then stare at Eric and then at me.

"What is this witchcraft?" Thalia asks suspiciously, I look into her mind and see she is ...afraid, I wasn't expecting that.

"No witchcraft, magic of some description, but not the work of witches" Eric says, beaming at me and pulling me close.

"Whatever it is, we need to keep this news of the child to ourselves" Thalia says, she looks at me, "Sookie could face danger from other vampires at the suggestion she is so... different" she adds.

Eric shakes his head, "No, she has been spreading the word of cooperation and peace, this will exalt her status as a unique vampire, she has gained many supporters and allies, this is a blessing and should be shared, she is the mother of the first of a brand new race of supernaturals" he says confidently.

I just hope to god he is right, after hearing Thalia's fear I know that if a vampire fears something they want to destroy it but Eric appears confident in his assumptions and I know that he will protect me and our child with everything he has.

Mr Cataliades comes up to me and sniffs me, then he beams at me, "It is true your scent it is that of a pregnant Fae" he says.

I turn to Dermot, "You said my essential spark thing was stronger since I was turned" I say.

Dermot nods, "Very much so" he says.

"I would like to discuss the pregnancy" Dr Ludwig says.

I turn towards her to say something but she holds up her hand.

"Don't look at me like that, you are a pregnant vampire, even saying those two words together is incredulous, we have no idea what you are carrying and so do you have any idea how difficult this is going to be? We have no comparison, nothing, and if I am going to be guiding you through this I want to examine you fully so I get some grasp on this, so you will come with me, right now" she says.

Eric grasps my hand, "She is right Sookie" he says. I watch Dr Ludwig gape at Eric its not every often that he admits something like that. She nods gratefully at Eric after she pulls herself together.

"You speak sense vampire, now talk some into your mate," she says.

I nod, I know she is right but I just have a million questions all along the lines of, how did this happen? But that can wait for now, if I am going to be blessed with the gift of a child, a child which I thought I would never carry, a child which I thought would be impossible when I thought that I had given up the chance of parenthood for the love of my husband, a gift which for some reason I have now been given I am going to do everything I need to, to keep my baby safe.

"Ok lets go" I say.

Pam smiles, "I'll keep watch for the sprite turning up" she says.

Eric turns to face her, "It's gone, Sookie caught it and killed it tonight, it was sent by Claude" he says.

Pam looks disappointed by this but nods in acceptance.

I look at Mr Cataliades, he is watching proceedings carefully and as Eric takes my hand to lead me away he speaks up.

"This is a special gift Sookie you are truly blessed" he says.

"I thought my destiny was to form alliances between the different supernatural communities, it was a job I was good at and now I will have to stop," I say with more than a hint of disappointment which I regret as soon as I say it.

Eric shakes his head, "No you won't, not if you don't want to, I will be at your side to protect you and our child, and we will not be keeping your condition a secret, this is a great thing Sookie and this will make you more powerful than you already are, this will prove your destiny" Eric says.

"I hope you are right" I say as I think about Thalia's reaction to the news.

I allow Eric to lead me away and Dr Ludwig follows. My mind is spinning with everything that has happened tonight.

Dr Ludwig grabs my hand and a moment later we are outside a hospital.

"Where are we?" I ask as I look around, a moment ago we were in our back garden.

"At my office, come on" Dr Ludwig says as she leads me inside.

Eric and I follow her as we head in. Eric is incredibly quiet and I'm getting some odd emotion from him. I can't help myself, I dip into his head, I am surprised to find he is thinking about his human children and his wife Aude, I quickly come out of his mind and close the bond to stop the emotions he is feeling flowing through me, this gets his attention at once and he turns towards me.

"Why have you closed the bond?" he asks.

"Because I got a glimpse of your thoughts and thought it was something personal" I say.

Eric smiles, "I can't help but remember" he says quietly.

I have nothing to say to that, but I offer him comfort by squeezing his hand. "I'm glad Bill is dead" I say suddenly.

Eric looks surprised, "What made you think of him?" he asks.

I shrug, "I'm not sure, but he wouldn't have taken the news well and he would have become more and more obsessed – I'm just glad we don't have to deal with that" I say, I pause and then say what is worrying me, "I was worried by Thalia's reaction she was scared, and that's not something I have ever seen before, and if she is afraid, what about other vampires?" I say.

Eric nods thoughtfully, "I think she fears what will happen when the news gets out about this, as it is unprecedented" he says.

"Do you think broadcasting this news will put a target on my back?" I ask.

"I'm not sure, I suppose it is possible, but I will protect you and I believe that this is a good thing and a positive thing, I believe this will make you even more respected in the supernatural world" he says.

"Right come in here" Dr Ludwig says as she opens a door.

She points at a bed and I climb up, Eric grabs a chair and sits beside me holding my hand tightly.

"We have no idea how we are going to do this, we have no dates, we have no indication how long a pregnancy will last and we have no idea about anything really, we are working completely blind in all respects as this child will be the first of its kind" she says.

"So I think the best thing to do is an ultrasound scan to get some idea of what we are dealing with".

She stops and looks at me questioningly and I nod, she pulls a trolley closer and pulls a wand thing off and gets some gel and squirts it on my stomach, Eric watches with curiosity, but he doesn't say anything. I can feel his anxiety increasing though and I try to give him reassurance that everything is fine.

As Dr Ludwig leans towards me with the wand Eric's hand darts out and grabs her wrist, "Will this harm them?" he asks.

Dr Ludwig shakes her head, "No it is painless and there is no risk" she says. "I have no idea if this will even work but it is worth a try" she adds.

She rubs the wand over my flat stomach and we look at the screen, I take an unnecessary breath as I see the outline of a body on the screen, a perfectly formed human shaped figure, but it must be incredibly tiny as I'm not showing at all. Dr Ludwig frowns.

"This is remarkable" she says.

"What?" I ask.

She points, "this ...child, it is fully formed, everything is there, everything is in place, but its just miniscule, I have never seen anything like this before ever, it appears all you have to do is let him or her grow, I have no idea long this will take, after all under normal circumstances a baby takes time to develop over the months but this child is a miniature version of someone who could be born now" she says.

"Can you see if it is a boy or a girl?" I ask.

Dr Ludwig nods, "I can, it's a male...see" she points and I glance at Eric who hasn't uttered a word he is just staring transfixed at the screen.

"What is that?" Eric asks suddenly and points, unable to contain himself he leans closer.

Dr Ludwig rolls the wand and the baby moves slightly and there we see another tiny shape, just as perfectly formed as the first.

"Another child" Dr Ludwig carefully checks, "Just as perfectly formed as the first, but this one is female," she says.

I feel Eric grip my hand tightly.

"Eric are you ok?" I ask.

He nods, "this is unbelievable" he says eventually.

"You're telling me!" I say.

Dr Ludwig measures me and weighs me, and then she stares at me helplessly. "I have no idea how to advise you, there would normally be discussion of diet and healthy eating but for you I would suggest just drink as much fresh blood as you can" she says.

I nod, "while I am here I may see if I can head to the blood bank and erm..." I say.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that, but that is an excellent idea" Dr Ludwig says.

Eric disappears to procure some bags of blood and Dr Ludwig looks helplessly at the papers in front of her.

"I have no idea what to suggest" she says eventually.

I think, "How about if I come and we do a scan weekly and see how much the babies have grown and perhaps we can figure out from that roughly how long this will take and we'll take it from there?" I say.

Dr Ludwig considers this and nods, "Yes I agree with that, but if anything happens, anything at all you come here straight away or call me immediately" she says and she hands me a card with a number on it.

I nod, "Don't worry I will" I say.

"How do you feel about this?" she asks me.

"Bewildered, overwhelmed, scared, but very very blessed, this is a gift, I have no idea how it happened or why it happened but I'm going to be a mommy" I say.

"Yes you are, and I believe that you will make a very good one, and with that big Viking at your side you will come to no harm" she says.

I smile at that, "You like Eric don't you?" I ask.

Dr Ludwig's face hardens and she glares at me.

"You can deny it all you want to" I say.

A reluctant smile twitches at her lips, "I respect him, he is honourable, you know where you stand with him even though he is a devious vampire" she says, "but you will not repeat any of this to anyone, especially him ...I will never hear the end of it" she grumbles.

I laugh, "My lips are sealed" I say.

A moment later Eric returns with a large box filled with bags of blood.

"How much have you taken vampire? The blood is for your wife not for you as well?" Dr Ludwig says angrily.

"I have enough, and it is for my wife and my children" Eric replies glancing in the box.

"Get out of here now" Dr Ludwig says waving her arms.

When we get back home, Eric fills the refrigerator with the blood, "Are you hungry?" he asks me.

I shake my head, "No that Sheema blood was very satisfying" I say.

Eric pulls me close and once more places his huge hand on my stomach.

"Thank you" he says quietly.

"What for, I didn't do anything...well I did, as you did, but neither of us knew what we were doing and we certainly weren't purposely trying for a baby, and yet now we seem to be having two" I say.

"I will protect you and our children with my own life" Eric vows solemnly.

"Hey, remember I'm a pretty decent fighter in my own right, and there is no substitute for the protection of a mother" I say.

Eric laughs, "Aude was fearsome when it came to protecting our children" he says, I watch him and see him looking back through the years, his eyes have a far away look.

"Tell me about her?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "she was a strong woman, all women were strong then, they had to be, as you know she was my brothers wife and when he died I was expected to marry her to keep the bond between the families, but she was a good wife, she did her duty, as did I" he says.

"Did you love her?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "I suppose I respected her and there was basic affection there, friendliness, but love...yes...no...I suppose I loved her but not the way I love you, the way I love you it consumes me" he says.

He pauses and I can tell he wants to ask me something, then he looks at me, "did you love Bill?" he asks suddenly.

I stare at him in surprise, "Where did that come from?" I ask.

"Curiosity, I know he was your first," he says.

I think about the question, "Yes I did, as you say he was my first, but then I started to question things, things which didn't seem right, but I always made excuses for him, when you made him tell me the truth, that really hurt, I felt so betrayed, and then suddenly everything dropped into place, everything made sense, he was grooming me right from the start, the drainers I saved him from were a gift for him, as it made it look like a chance encounter, in fact sometimes in my more uncharitable moments, I have wondered if they were just ordinary humans he had glamoured to play the part of drainers to set the scene". I pause as that sounds pretty far-fetched even to me.

"But I look back, and I know now he tried to control me, and to a certain extent he succeeded, he made it clear what clothes he liked me to wear, and the way he tried to make out that you were so bad and I believed it all for so long" I say I wrap my arms around Eric's waist. "I tried to remain friends with him, despite everything he did, and there were those odd times he did come through for me, but how he got towards the end his constant obsessive stalking, I grew to hate him" I say.

Eric grips me tightly. I look up into Eric's face and into those beautiful blue eyes.

"But know this, yes I loved him in the beginning, but what I felt for him was nothing to what I feel for you" I say.

Eric nods and then silently picks me up and he walks into our bedroom.

"Shouldn't we be going to Fangtasia and doing some work, and seeing if there are any new telepathy assignments coming in?" I ask.

Eric shakes his head, "No, tonight I want you all to myself, and I am going spend the entire night having you all to myself" he says.

I grin at him, "that sounds good to me" I say.

**oooOOOooo**

The next night when we both rise Eric and I go to Fangtasia and when we arrive Greg is waiting for us with his daily briefing he quickly runs through the details and then Eric pulls me close.

"I have something to tell you" he says.

Greg looks up at Eric and waits expectantly.

"Sookie and I are to be parents" he says.

Greg stares at Eric "Wow" he says eventually, "How?" he asks.

Eric laughs, "We have no idea, but we are blessed" he says.

"Well...congratulations" Greg says, "You must let me know if you need me to undertake any specific duties" he says.

Eric nods, "I will" he says.

After Greg has gone, Eric turns to me, "I am making the announcement tonight but first we will need to inform Sandy" he says.

I nod, but I'm sure Eric feels my reticence "it will be fine" he says.

I nod once more as Eric picks up the phone and makes the call.

"Your majesty" Eric says and then presses a button so the call is on speaker and I can hear everything clearly.

"Northman, what do I owe the pleasure?" Sandy says cordially.

"I have unexpected and wonderful news, news which re writes the history books and turns everything that we ever considered fact on its head" he says.

"Oh I am intrigued enlighten me" Sandy says.

"Sookie is pregnant with my children – she is expecting twins, it has been confirmed, I have seen the children with my own eyes with the help of a modern scan and I can sense the children inside her, I have no idea how this happened but my wife has always been unique" he pauses and the look he gives me is scorching.

"This is...unbelievable" Sandy says eventually after a long silence.

"I know" Eric says I watch the phone carefully and fix on it wishing I could hear her thoughts then something extraordinary happens I zone in on Sandy I can see her in her office in New Orleans and I listen to her.

_If this is true then this is either incredibly worrying or a great gift, with the work she does bringing species together this could be huge, and I am the monarch who owns this asset. I must offer protection, if the children possess the gifts of the mother this could have endless possibilities._

I grip Eric's arm and silently speak to him, _I can hear Sandy _Eric looks at me in surprise.

"I am announcing this joyous news tonight to the vampires of this area and obviously I wanted you to hear the news first" Eric says.

"Well my warmest congratulations to you and your wife" Sandy says.

"Thank you your majesty" Eric says.

He ends the call and turns towards me. "Did I hear you correctly?" he says.

I nod, "Yes, I focussed on the phone and it was as if I was transported to New Orleans and I could hear her thoughts, she considers me an asset and she covets our children" I say I feel Eric's anger at this and he pulls me close.

"You are not an asset and our children are not some prize" he growls.

"I know that and you know that, at least that was a positive reaction, she could have wanted to kill me" I say.

Eric pulls out his phone and calls the new area sheriff. "Sheriff I am making an announcement tonight at Fangtasia and I would be honoured if you would attend" he says.

I wander away as Eric continues with his conversation, I head outside and look up at the sky, I suddenly feel very vulnerable, which is ridiculous considering the fact I am a vampire and a lethal killer but at this moment all I want is my gran, the one person who I need is no longer here and I want her desperately.

"Sookie" I turn and Eric is standing in the doorway and I walk up to him and into his arms, "this must be very overwhelming for you" he says quietly.

"I was just wishing gran was here, so I could talk to her about this" I say.

Eric strokes my hair and kisses me. He floods the bond with love and comfort and I hold him tightly.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

We fly to Fangtasia and this helps to clear my head, when we arrive everyone is gathered waiting for Eric's announcement and I look for Pam and Thalia. Pam nods at me and Thalia, well she looks like she always does, so I quickly dip into her head as I respect her thoughts as much as Eric's as she has been around for so long.

_This cannot end well_ is what I immediately get from her and I must admit I am thinking much the same thing, Eric is overjoyed at the prospect of having a second chance at fatherhood and it appears to be clouding his sense, I start to doubt myself and whether I am good for him and if any of this is a good idea. I watch as Eric's head whips around to face me and I know he has caught what I am thinking. A second later he is by my side and flooding me with love.

"Do not doubt me lover" he says quietly.

I nod, but I cannot help the negative thoughts creeping back in.

"Let me announce our great news" he says and he smiles at me and reaches for my hand.

"Eric are you sure this is a good idea...really?" I ask.

He nods, "I am positive" he says.

We walk into the office where all the vampires have assembled and are looking at us expectantly; the new sheriff watches us carefully and waits patiently for the news.

"Good evening, I have some unexpected and unbelievable news to give you, we are not totally aware of all the facts yet, but it would appear that Sookie is pregnant with my children" he stops and everyone is staring at him with open mouths.

"Master...you say children?" Pam says quietly.

Eric nods, "that is correct, Dr Ludwig performed a test of some description, which showed the children growing in Sookie's womb, and there are two, a boy and a girl" he says proudly.

After that announcement, which was met with more stunned silence, Eric made it clear to everyone that he expected them to protect me if it should come to that.

_Honey, you're not sheriff any more you can't ask that of them _I say silently to Eric.

_I can and I will, all these vampires gathered here with the exception of the new Sheriff all owe their lives to me, they would have been killed at the take over if it hadn't been for you and me, _he replies.

I can't argue with that and it appears neither does any of the gathered vampires as they accept what Eric has asked of them without question. I am actually quite impressed that my husband can inspire that much respect and loyalty from them all.

The new Sheriff congratulates us and asks if we have informed Sandy and Eric informs me that he has. I am being watched like a prize specimen and the thoughts I am getting from the assembled vampires is curiosity and fear, wondering what I am to be able to achieve this, but they respect Eric and that seems to be keeping them in check for now.

Pam sidles up to me.

"How are you Sookie? This really is unbelievable news" she says.

I nod, "You can say that again" I say I look at Pam, "How do you feel about this, you are the closest thing Eric has to offspring, how do you feel about him producing his own children?" I ask.

Pam shrugs, "It makes my maker happy – look at him, I have never seen him like this ...ever, he is almost giddy with joy I feel it overwhelm me through our bond" she says.

"I didn't ask how Eric felt, I asked what you thought about it" I say, _and remember I can always look and find out for myself but I am doing you the courtesy of asking _I add silently.

Pam smiles at me, "if Eric is happy I am happy" she says simply.

**oooOOOooo**

After Eric takes me home he follows me around watching me carefully.

"What is it?" I ask after a few moments.

"I cannot believe this is truth, I am sensing the life inside you it gets stronger by the moment" he says.

I touch my stomach and concentrate and I hear them, my children inside me "I hear them as well" I say.

Eric comes closer "I can hear their heartbeats, what do you hear?" he asks I can feel his excitement growing I know he is asking if I can hear their thoughts.

"I sense their essence, its hard to explain, they don't appear to be thinking anything yet but I can sense their minds" I say.

Eric drops to his knees and starts speaking to my stomach in his language and the brainwaves spring to life, I take an unnecessary gasp.

"They can hear you and they are responding, their minds came alive with thoughts, when they heard your voice" I say.

Eric stares at my stomach and then leans forward and places a kiss on it and he mutters something else in his own language.

"You really need to teach me that ancient language" I say, "I'd love to understand what you are telling our children" I add.

Eric looks up at me and then gracefully stands, "I was telling them I was their father and that I would always protect them...and love them" he says.

I have no idea what to say to that so I don't say anything I just wrap my arms around my Viking and hold him close to me.

"Dawn approaches" Eric says eventually, I nod and we make our way to our resting chamber and lying in each others arms we fall into our day death.

"_Sookie, Sookie" I look up and search for that familiar female voice, a large lump comes into my throat at the sound of it I look around me, I cannot believe I heard that voice it can't be true, its impossible much like the place I am standing, where the hell am I? I appear to be in a meadow with trees and flowers, birds are singing and I hear a stream, I look around me still searching for that voice, where am I? What the hell is happening, it is daytime and the sun is on me and yet I don't burn, I search for Eric and yet he is nowhere to be seen I panic slightly and call for him._

"_Sookie, its alright, everything is fine, there is nothing to fear" the female voice says comforting me._

"_Gran? Gran is that you? Where are you?" I ask feeling incredibly stupid for asking such a thing when it cannot be true._

_As I say this a watery shadow appears in front of me, my gran, I run to her, but she holds up her hand._

"_Sookie listen to me I can't stay here in this realm for too long as I am not a fairy, your grandfather is coming to talk to you, he is going to explain everything, but he called and summoned me from heaven to assure you of his identity and because you expressed a desire to see me" she says._

"_Niall?" I ask fear streaking through me._

_My gran shakes her head "No you are safe from your great grandfather, he cannot harm you, your grandfather – Fintan wishes to meet you and talk with you" she says, she looks around and points._

"_He approaches" she says._

_I follow her hand and see a man walking towards me, he is smiling and I know instinctively who he is and he has a familiar figure walking beside him, Claudine has also come to see me. I cannot control myself and rush towards her._

"_Claudine I am so sorry" I say but she hugs me and soothes me._

"_It was my choice and my decision to stay and protect you, Niall gave me the opportunity to leave as I was with child, and it is I who should be sorry after what Colman did" she says, "but he also regrets his actions now he knows the full story" she says._

_I nod and turn towards the man standing silently at her side._

"_Grandfather?" I ask._

_The man nods, "hello Sookie" he says, he turns to my grandmother and kisses her passionately "thank you Adele" he says, my grandmother nods and shimmers and then just before she vanishes she turns to me._

"_I have to go now Sookie, but always know that I love you and you make me so proud every day, I continue to watch over you and your Viking and now you are having your own little family, remember I am always with you, so if you need to talk with me just talk and I will try and send you some sign that I have heard you, I love you Sookie" and with that she is gone._

"_GRAN!" I shout and the blood tears start to stream down my face, the man gently says my name._

"_Sookie, do not cry my child" he says, and once more Claudine wraps her arm around me and comforts me._

_I turn towards the man standing in front of me, he looks solid and real and he holds out his hand to me._

"_Sookie come to me child, let me look at you" he says._

_I step out of Claudine's embrace and walk closer and I accept his hand. At once a sense of well being and love fill me._

"_Where am I?" I ask._

_He gestures with his hand, "This is the Summerlands" he says._

_I stare at him "How?" I ask._

_He smiles at me, "Your Fae blood and the fact you are technically dead in the daytime gives you the right to be here" he explains, "it was easier getting you here than getting your grandmother into this realm" he adds wryly._

_I look around, "Is Niall here?" I ask nervously._

_Fintan shakes his head, "No, he was condemned to the Winterlands for his actions" he says I must look confused, "The human version which you would be familiar with would be hell" he says._

_My mouth drops open, "He's in hell?!" I say._

_Fintan nods, "Any fairy who kills without true justification or has thoughts of killing without justification gets sent to the Winterlands when they eventually die, you are Niall's kin, his blood and yet he wanted you dead only because you loved a vampire and became vampire yourself and that wasn't sufficient reason to want you dead, especially when you have a destiny before you like no other and that destiny includes your vampire" he says._

_This makes me nervous, "destiny?" I ask._

_Fintan nods and points to my stomach, "Your children, you have started a great revolution, your words of cooperation and alliances have been well received and will spread and as the human race destroys itself with its narrow minded hatred, your words will resonate within the supernatural world and everyone will bond together and be strong and will endure, your children will pick suitable human mates and procreate, they will have the best of their ancestry, they will possess traits from vampires, Fae and humanity and even possibly Were but only the best ones, those children will pick their own partners they too will pick wisely and the bloodline will continue" he stops speaking and I just stare at him unable to believe what I am hearing._

"_But" I stammer._

_Fintan places his hand on my arm, "I know this is incredible and hard to take in but this is your destiny my child and has been since the day you were born, this is the reason why you have such an understanding and empathy with every supernatural community, and this is why your bloodline will contain the blood of Fae, human, vampire and eventually Were, there will be strong links to every supernatural race and so it will inspire harmony and dispel distrust and jealousy, why do you think you were born so extraordinary? Any other human would have gone insane with the life you had, but you were so strong and you learnt to use your gift and you rose above the mundane and something else you should know - you were always meant to meet Eric your paths were always destined to cross and he is quite simply your soul mate, that is why he was made vampire, because that was the only way you two would have ever met, being born a millennia apart, so he had to suffer greatly too for his destiny, everything happens for a reason and for a greater purpose Sookie and you and your mate in this case are that greater purpose" Fintan says kindly._

"_It's a great responsibility" I say._

_Fintan nods, "It is but you are strong you are up to the challenge and with your Viking at your side there will be nothing you cannot achieve" he says._

"_Will I be able to tell Eric all this?" I ask._

_Fintan nods and points, "here he is now" he says._

_I turn and seen Eric looking around him, staring wide eyed at being in sunlight and not burning, he is naturally wary and on full alert._

"_Sookie?" he says._

_I run to him, "its ok we are safe here" I say._

"_What is this place?" Eric asks relaxing slightly._

"_The Summerlands" I explain._

_Eric stares at me "But I am vampire, how can I be here in the Faery?" he says._

_Fintan approaches and smiles kindly, "hello Eric, it's been a long time" he says._

_Eric stares at Fintan in shock, "Fintan Brigant, what is this, is Niall here?" he asks looking around again._

_Fintan quickly assures him Niall isn't here and outlines everything that he has told me and Eric listens carefully, he reaches for me and I slip into his arms._

"_How can this be I am vampire, and before that I was human I was a Viking?" Eric asks._

_Fintan smiles and reaches for Eric, "You were never totally human Eric, before you were made vampire you were a Halfling just like me, your father was a Viking warrior and very human but your mother was Fae – a Fairy princess to be precise" he says._

"_Eerika" Eric murmurs._

_Fintan nods, "Eerika, her name means..." but Eric interrupts him._

"_Ruling forever" he says._

_Fintan nods, "She was a water Fae princess" I shiver at this knowing the bad history between the water and sky Fae, but Fintan smiles._

"_It was always written that a sky Fae/human hybrid would mate with a water Fae/human hybrid and they would be destined for great things in the supernatural world, it was her destiny to have you Eric, it was your destiny to meet Sookie but the timing went astray and Sookie came about much later than anticipated that is why you were made vampire it was the only way for you to fulfil your destiny and meet your soul mate" Fintan says._

"_But?" Eric says._

_Fintan smiles "would you like to see your mother again Eric?" he asks kindly._

_Eric gapes at him and I grip him tightly as he visibly trembles at this question, he nods and as I listen to him he forcibly slams the bond shut. Fintan waves his hand a moment later a beautiful woman approaches she looks just like Eric and she holds open her arms._

"_Min Son" she says to him. _

"_Min Mamma" Eric replies, she grips his shoulders, she is speaking rapidly to him clearly explaining everything to him he listens and when she has finished she embraces him he pulls away and speaks to her "__Mina barn , vad det blev av dem ?" _

"_She has explained everything to him about his destiny and now he is asking his mother what became of his human children" Fintan whispers to me._

_Eric's mother speaks swiftly and it must be good news as Eric looks relieved and smiles I feel pride through the bond and I realise he has opened it up again and I wish I could ask him what she is saying. I try and listen but I don't understand what she said._

"_De levde och blomstrade , blev Leif chef för byn , Keldan var en fin krigare och så var Gyda som blev en sköldmöns" she says._

_Eric turns and holds out his hand to me, "Sookie come here and meet my mother" he says._

_I step closer and she clasps my hand in hers, "I am delighted to meet you, you are the chosen one for my son, I am honoured to be in your presence" she says I am shocked I can understand her._

_She smiles at me, "I am Fae I can speak any language" she says._

"_I wish I could understand what Eric is saying when he talks in his native language – he talks to our unborn children that way" I say and touch my stomach._

"_My child, let me gift you with understanding" she says and puts her hand on my head, a warmth spreads through me. "Now you may speak and understand my sons native words" she says._

"_Thank you" I say I turn to Eric who has been watching me and he pulls me into his arms and kisses me. His mother turns her attention back to him and tells him she has to go now and he nods again she grips my hand tightly and thanks me for loving her son and with that she turns and vanishes. Eric turns his attention back to Fintan._

"_Now do you understand Eric?" Fintan asks._

"_I understand" Eric says slowly and he waits for Fintan to continue._

_Fintan smiles, "I can't stress how important the two of you are. You both are destined for great things, it is written that Sookie will be accepted and listened to by people who hear her words and anyone who means her, you or your children harm will meet their end" Fintan says, "this has so far been fulfilled the vampire monarchs Felipe and Freyda are both dead as are the followers of Felipe, along with a long list of others who have meant you harm" Fintan looks at me and I know he is referring to my rather long kill list._

_I am overwhelmed by all this I stare at Fintan and then at Eric helplessly._

"_Do you accept your destiny?" Fintan asks suddenly._

_Eric looks surprised, "If we say no?" he asks._

"_Then your time will reverse, you will return to your life as a Viking warrior, and Sookie will be born without the essential spark and neither of you will never know of each other or have any memory of this timeline" Fintan says._

_Eric's eyes widen at this and he stares at me, "I don't want to lose you Sookie" he says._

_I shake my head, my mind is spinning but I know I want Eric, I love him, he is my soul mate and he is the father to my children, if I go back I would be condemning them, I cannot do that having heard their thoughts. "I love you too, I accept my destiny" I say firmly._

_Eric nods, "I accept my destiny" he says solemnly._

"_Excellent" Fintan replies, "Now you must return night is falling in your realm and you need to rise" he says._

_With that everything shimmers and then goes black._

I open my eyes with a start and sit up I look around and Eric is doing the same thing, I stare at him "Was that...did you?" I ask.

Eric nods, "in the Summerlands with Fintan and my mother" he says quietly.

"You also have Fae heritage" I say.

Eric nods again, "That was a surprise" he admits.

I smile at him and touch his cheek, "it was and yet now thinking about it strangely, it isn't" I say.

Eric looks at me questioningly, "Explain" he says.

"Everything seems to make more sense now, from the little things, like the time when I first moved in with you after we married in Vegas and I asked you if we could keep my home in Bon Temps and you said that you had always liked that house because it because it had a 'feel' about it, I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now it is clear you were obviously sensitive to the Fae magic in the house and land, not to mention the magic emanating from the Cluvel Dor that was hidden there at the time, and do you remember, you have said to me more than once, I may not tell you everything but what I do tell you is the truth. Then when I rose as a vampire and the Fae earth had an effect on you too, then there was the Sheema, how she managed to create a link with you and she had no idea how she had managed to do it, well there is your answer it was your Fae blood, and then of course there is the way we have always been drawn to each other despite everything conspiring to keep us apart, because it is our destiny" I say.

Eric nods thoughtfully and then a wicked grin fills his face and he pulls me into his arms, "The Fae are known for their sexual appetite" he says as he nibbles my ear and he has a lustful glint in his eye.

I laugh, "Eric, your sexual appetite is legendary" I say.

Eric pushes me down on to the bed and hovers over me, pushing my knees apart. As he looks down he looks shocked.

"What?" I ask and look down, and I see a noticeable little bump has appeared.

"Where did that come from?" I ask as I run my hand over it.

Eric shrugs, "I have no idea but it is beautiful" he says and he leans down and kisses it. "Let me make love to you" he says and he gently pushes himself inside me, I moan with pleasure and he stills, "I'm not hurting you am I?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No it is wonderful" I say and my hips rise to meet his.

"This is best" Eric says as he pushes into me once more and then sets a punishing rhythm we both come with a yell and sink our fangs into each other and drink greedily, I feel Eric pull back and look at my stomach once more.

"It grew, when you drank from me" he says pointing at the bump.

I giggle, "What are you saying your blood is like fertiliser to our children, it makes them grow?"

Eric laughs, "I have no idea but I felt it grow" he insists.

He leaps off the bed and fetches me a blood bag which he hands me "Drink this" he demands and he places his hands on my bump and watches me carefully.

As I drink he smiles, "It's growing, not at the pace it did when you drank from me but it is definitely growing" he says.

I finish my blood and look at Eric lustfully, "I need you again" I say.

Eric growls and his fangs descend, "You need me?" he asks.

I nod, "It's like a craving I need you so badly" I say.

"Let me ease your craving" Eric says as he covers me once more with his body.

When we are both finally sated after about 15 orgasms I realise what is happening.

"This is our children, they are craving your blood to grow, and I bite and drink from you when I ...you know, and so they are..."

"Making you horny" Eric says with a grin.

"Well ...yes" I say, I look down and the bump is now much bigger than when I first rose, I reach for my phone and call Dr Ludwig, moments later she appears and stares at my now large bump

"How is that possible?" she says pointing her bony finger at me.

Eric and I tell her of the story of what happened to us, leaving out the part of Eric having Fae ancestry and we tell her of our theory of how the children need Eric's blood to thrive.

Dr Ludwig nods and thinks thoughtfully, "this is logical, what happens when you drink other blood?" she asks.

"The bump grows but not at the same rate" I say.

I would like to see this for myself, would you accompany me to my office we can do a scan and if you feed while I am performing the scan and we can see exactly what happens, we can get some idea of how this is progressing?" Dr Ludwig asks.

Both Eric and I nod and we head to the hospital.

Dr Ludwig runs the wand over me and we all gasp in surprise the babies are much bigger now, Dr Ludwig hands me a blood bag and I drink, I watch and on the screen the babies grow, "Now Eric if you would feed your wife" Dr Ludwig says.

Eric sits behind me and offers me his wrist there is a crunch as I bite into him and drink and Dr Ludwig cries out.

"This is incredible, the speed at which these babies grow!" she exclaims.

She turns to look at me seriously, "You need to monitor this carefully, because if you are not careful these babies will be too big to be born" she says.

Eric stiffens and wraps his arm around me, "What are you saying?" he asks.

Dr Ludwig looks up at Eric, "What I am saying vampire is that she may not be able to give birth to them or doing so may damage her, I won't say it will end her as she is a vampire but the healing time would be considerable" she says.

Eric and I look at each other, "but I want to give my children what they need to thrive" I say stubbornly.

"Of course you do, just don't over do it" Dr Ludwig says.

"Fair enough" I say in agreement, Eric nods and he returns his gaze to the two figures on the screen.

I watch Eric carefully and I am desperate to know what he is thinking but he has closed the bond tightly again, he doesn't want me to feel his emotions, so out of respect I also stay out of his head.

We return home and Eric seems distracted I go to him and wrap my arms around him.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "Nothing is wrong, I am just...overwhelmed" he says "it is not a feeling that I am accustomed to" he adds.

"If its any consolation I'm having difficulty getting my head around this as well" I say.

Eric turns and looks at me, "Were you tempted to return and relive your life as a human with no telepathy?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, I wasn't, there was a possibility at one time that I may have chosen differently but not now, I love you too much" I say.

Eric leads me to our room and closes the door; he pulls me down on to the bed.

"Were you tempted?" I ask.

"No" Eric says decisively.

He doesn't elaborate and I wonder what he is thinking, "Eric talk to me, let me in" I ask.

He holds me tighter, "When Dr Ludwig said what she said about having our children, it reminded me of Aude… and her death" he says, I know this story, I remember the night at Fangtasia where he shared memories with me and told me how his wife died after giving birth.

I grip his hand, "I'm not going to die" I say.

"No" he says, "You're not".

I wait for him to continue to speak and he remains silent for a long while then eventually speaks

"It was also very strange to hear that it was my destiny to find Ocella that night and for him to turn me just so I would be around when you were on the earth" he says.

"Are you feeling resentful about that?" I ask.

"No, if anything it gives me a sense of peace, now I know there was a reason behind the fact I was made into a vampire, that I was chosen for a greater purpose, it makes the memories of those years of hell with Ocella ...bearable" he stops and I will him to talk to me.

I know what he is talking about having seen the terrible things Ocella did to him, how he violated him and humiliated him for centuries for his own sick pleasure, but on the other hand he taught him to stay alive and not get caught and killed and I suppose for that I have to be grateful, he taught him how to be a good vampire and survive long enough to meet me and fulfil his destiny.

"I want to be a good father" Eric says suddenly.

I turn in his arms and look at him, "I don't think that is in question" I say.

Eric shakes his head sadly, "I was not a father to my human children, I was more of a father to Pam and yet I took her human life when I turned her. I want to be a proper father to them" he says.

"Tell me about your human family" I say carefully.

"Aude was a strong woman and a good wife, she did what was expected, as did I" he says.

"What about your children, you told me three survived?" I coax.

Eric nods, "yes two boys and a girl lived, the girl was the eldest surviving child, her name was Gyda she was beautiful, my sons were called Keldan and Leif" he says.

"Beautiful names, what do they mean?" I ask.

Eric smiles, Keldan means from the Spring, he was named that as he was born in the Springtime, Leif means descendent or heir, he was my eldest surviving son and Gyda means God in Swedish but it also meant war like" he says.

"So what was the thinking behind that?" I ask.

Eric looks at me, "she was a fighter, she wasn't expected to live, but she did she fought for her life" he says.

There is another long silence then he speaks again, "They were very young when I was turned, I often wonder what became of them, so it was good to hear from my mother that they all prospered I tried to be a good father to them, I wasn't there for any of the births as I was away raiding, and I would always return home there would be an infant in the crib or another grave, the only time I was there at a birth was when Aude perished, I had returned and she hadn't had the child, a few days later she had him and then they both caught a fever and died".

"What did your mother tell you about your children?" I ask, wracking my brain trying to remember what she said.

"She said that they lived and flourished, Leif became head of the village, Keldan was a great warrior and so was Gyda she became a Shield Maiden" he says proudly.

I have no idea what to say to him, so I send love and comfort through our bond hoping he receives it. When he squeezes me and sends me a wave of love back I know he received it and has reopened the bond.

"It is all ancient history" he says dismissively, "I have a second chance at fatherhood now" he says, and he places his hands on my bump.

"I am still getting my head around the fact it was all inevitable, it is hard to accept that your destiny is mapped out for you" he says.

I nod, "I know, I wonder who was the one playing god, I am guessing a fairy as we are both have Fae heritage, and I also wonder who screwed up the maths which subjected you to centuries of misery with Ocella" I say bitterly.

"It is not important lover, what is important is that we are together, we love each other and we are now fulfilling our destiny" Eric says pragmatically.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

I am still reeling from the events of today and tonight and still trying to work things out in my own mind as to exactly what this 'destiny' means for us. The more I go through it all, the more everything becomes clear and slots into place, it all seems to make sense, not just the events of recently, but my entire life, if it is all true and I have no reason to believe that it's not, I can see now that everything that I have gone through in my life was for a reason, I was shunned and teased, I grew up thinking I was some kind of freak but I was strong and built my own defences, taught myself to cope with the 'gift' I had been given whilst not losing my compassion and empathy for others, I could quite easily have become bitter, twisted and possibly insane from everything I experienced but instead it only made me stronger, able to see the value in all beings and see the good in people as well as the bad, and I didn't allow seeing all the bad turn me cynical and remote.

I look at my husband and I also realise that there wasn't a mistake when it came to the timing of our existences, it was all meticulously planned, Eric _was _born at the right time in history, he was born and was a fearsome warrior, then he travelled through time seeing all the changes gathering a wealth of knowledge about how the human race works, honing his survival instinct which is second to none giving him the advantage in any battle as there are few vampires around now as old and powerful as he is. His life lessons have taught him strength, unerring pragmatism, a vicious cunning and deviousness but also a deep compassion and love, and in my eyes he is as close to perfection as you can get. As all this goes through my mind I gain acceptance of everything and a sense of peace flows through me.

I sit and watch my husband as he sits reading some Fangtasia paperwork and it almost hurts how much I love this man, I say man because at this moment I don't see the vampire he is now I see the man underneath, and it's with a crashing clarity that everything is now falling into place.

I realise I had to go through the relationships with Bill and Quinn they were lessons on trust, I loved Bill but he never had my best interests at heart, I realise now that he was a weak coward, he was bitter and twisted about being turned against his will and being wrenched from his family, he harboured severe issues about being a vampire and yet he used his nature to get what he wanted and used it as an excuse when he did things which he shouldn't do. He allowed himself to be used and manipulated by stronger vampires as he was too weak to stand up to them and he blamed everyone but himself for everything, deep down he was a very disturbed man, and I don't doubt for one moment that he believed he loved me, in his own twisted mind he did fall in love with me, but in reality it was only an obsession to claim me just as Lorena had claimed him, but that was where he was conflicted he would never turn me as he detested what he was, and that is why he put up such a fuss when I finally agreed to allow Eric to turn me, it was all very complicated and as I had said to Eric after I had ended him, I believe that when I killed Bill I was ending his suffering as well as giving myself my freedom from him and his obsessions and scheming.

Quinn was another, he thought he loved me but he also had too many issues, namely his mother and his sister he was spread too thin and I know his life would never be his own as long they lived, it wasn't his fault and it wasn't his mothers fault either after what had happened to her and perhaps you could argue I was selfish in putting myself first and wanting to be the most important thing in his life, but I knew deep down that would never be the case, it was kinder all around that we parted, as he would never have been able to give me what I needed and eventually we would have just ended up resenting each other.

I look back at Eric, he was the only one who loved me unconditionally and who always put me first, and yet he is the only one of the three lovers I have had who I always immediately questioned and thought the worst of, admittedly he gave me that that impression on the occasion that I caught a snippet of his thoughts, right back at the beginning, but he loved me, yes he wanted me sexually and he made no excuses about that, but I never gave him the benefit of the doubt as I did with Quinn and repeatedly did with Bill, but I came to my senses eventually and now I am determined nothing will separate me from my Viking. Eric looks up from his paperwork and smiles at me.

"Are you alright?" he asks me.

I nod, "I'm fine, I'm just going through everything and it's all falling into place how everything was meant to be" I say.

"I was trying to stay out of your head but your thoughts and feelings were a little overwhelming" he says.

"Sorry" I reply, "I'll go if I am distracting you from your work" I say and stand up.

Eric puts down the papers and he stands up and walking over to me he grabs me and sits pulling me back down with him, his hand immediately goes to my bump and strokes it.

"I too have been thinking about everything, and it has made the purpose of my life to this point much clearer, I understand now why I have experienced the things I have, it was preparing me for a destiny which I was unaware of" he says.

I smile as he is echoing my own thoughts of a moment ago.

"Did you ever resent being turned and being taken from your village and human family?" I ask suddenly, I can't see the pragmatic vampire in front of me being resentful about being turned against his will, but he has centuries on Bill and I wonder if at the beginning he was angry about being wrenched away from everything he knew.

Eric nods, "Yes I did. At first I was confused and angry, a natural reaction I suppose and I fell into what would now be called a depression, I was ashamed of what I had become I had an incredible hunger, all newborns...except you, have no self control and need to be taught and as soon as I had gained that self control I punished myself for what I had become, I didn't feed until the hunger and craving for blood nearly drove me insane. Ocella punished me regularly for my insubordination because I refused to have anything to do with him, so he persuaded me to get to get to know him better and the more I fought the more inventive he became at getting my attention and obedience" he says.

I shiver as I remember the horrific things Ocella did to Eric and I hold him tightly to me, Eric squeezes my hand and continues to speak.

"Slowly I accepted what I had become, I learnt that I could not change anything, so there was no point in fretting about things I had no control over and in time I started to see the positives of being a vampire, but the first couple of centuries were hell, and being with Ocella wasn't...pleasant at times, at one point right at the start I considered meeting the sun but of course Ocella refused to allow me out of his sight to attempt such a thing, but his barbarism taught me strength of character and survival, but that doesn't stop me from feeling relief and freedom when he met his final true death" he says.

"And yet you pleaded with me not to end him" I say, as I remember that night where Ocella lay helpless on the ground and I was prepared to ram a branch through his worthless heart.

Eric looks carefully at me, "The bond between maker and child, it is difficult to explain, especially when a maker was like Ocella who never embraced the modern ways, I understand your reasons for wanting him dead more than you would ever know, however you should now also understand the concept of loyalty to your maker, after all, are you not my progeny? I am your sire we share the same bond which held Ocella and myself together, if someone threatened me how would you react?" he says.

I stare at him incredulously, "there is no comparison, if anyone threatened your safety I would kill them without a second thought because I love you, and you have been an exemplary maker, surely you know that I would do all it takes to keep you safe" I say firmly.

Eric smiles, "Exactly" he says, "and that is the correct response, that is how any vampire should react when their maker is threatened, they should be willing to fight to the final death for their maker, you would do it I have no doubt, as I would do the same for you, but it could be argued that our bond is different to the usual maker/child bond it is much deeper and more complex, but I assure you Pam would also risk her own existence for me and I would risk mine for her, but I wasn't prepared to do that for Ocella, possibly because it was you who was going to end him, if it came between a straight choice him or you, it would always be you".

I frown trying to figure out what he is saying here.

"Let me explain," he says, "I could sense you were going to end him, I knew what your intention was as soon as you saw that branch, and did I fight you to the death to defend my stricken sire, who lay helpless on the ground? No, I did not, all I did, was just ask you not to kill him, and in your love for me, you accepted my wishes without question and you didn't end him." He pauses and smiles at me and I suddenly understand what he is saying.

"That is another reason why I choose to believe Ocella spared you, when he warned you about Colman's attack, yes he knew of the contract with Freyda and his warped mind wanted to see us both suffer for our love for each other, but despite the fact he was a sadistic son of a bitch he still valued honour and he saw what you were prepared to do – or not do, as the case in point was. You were prepared abide by my wishes and to let him live, although he knew you wanted to kill him – but you didn't do it because of your love for me and he saw that control you had, he saw the respect you had for my wishes and he viewed you sparing him as honourable". He stops and kisses me; his words are going through my mind.

"If he told you to kill me would you have done it?" I ask.

Eric puts his head down, "if he had simply told me to kill you I would have refused and taken whatever punishment Ocella dreamed up for my insubordination...but...but...had he ordered me to kill you, then yes I would have, you have to understand that I would have no choice but to comply, I told you, he never fully released me and you now know it is impossible to ignore a makers command" he looks at me, almost pleading with me to believe him.

I know now it isn't an idle excuse, it is a compulsion you cannot go against an order of your maker, I smile at him reassuringly and he continues to speak, willing me to understand.

"But know this, if he had ordered me to kill you, I would have met the sun the next morning, so I suppose, again I would have faced the consequences of my actions as I could not live without you" he says soberly.

I have no doubts in my mind that he would as well, I decide to change the subject.

"I would love to know whose idea all this destiny thing was" I say.

"That my love we will never know, destiny is a strange thing and whoever or whatever makes those kinds of decisions is something more powerful than any of the assumed deities of the manufactured religions of the world.

I stare at him, this surprises me but he nods as he explains.

"You were brought up a god fearing Christian, with a clear notion of heaven and hell" he says and I nod.

"In my time as a human there was no thing as one god, Christianity had never reached us, there were many Norse gods and our concept of heaven was the halls of Valhalla, The Faery has the Summerlands and Winterlands as their concept of heaven and hell, it is all subjective as to what you are taught and what you choose to believe, and that is part of this destiny we now have, we are showing that whatever you choose to believe, whatever your race or species, nobody is worth more than any other and what they chose to believe or not does not make them a better or worse person, vampire, fairy or Were because of it".

"You are incredibly smart" I say and I touch his face.

"No lover I'm not, because I learnt this concept from you" he pauses and kisses me reverently, I shake my head in disbelief but he cups my face with his large hands, "yes my progeny, lover and my wife, you taught me this, as a vampire I had been taught and I assumed I was better than humans I was superior to Weres and I held every prejudice there was but you have taught me difference is good and everyone has worth" he says.

We are disturbed by the telephone ringing, Eric stands and pulls his phone from his pocket and answers it. He looks at me carefully.

"That is interesting, thank you Desmond" he says and hangs up.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Desmond Cataliades has had word that the Ancient Pythoness wishes us to have an audience with her, we are going to be summonsed to her, he was giving us a heads up" he says.

I stare at Eric in disbelief, "this cannot be a good thing" I say as I rest a protective hand over my bump.

"We have to go" Eric says, "She is the supreme being of the Vampire race, we have to obey, we have no choice in the matter, you cannot be stubborn about this Sookie, if you make a fuss I will command you as your maker to go" he says.

"When?" I ask.

Eric shrugs, "I have no idea, but I am sure we will know soon enough if Desmond knows about it, it will be soon" he says.

I glance out of the window the sky is lightening "Well it won't be tonight, because dawn is approaching" I say.

Eric grins and picks me up bridal style, "In that case we don't have a lot of time for me to have my way with you" he says.

I giggle as I wrap my arms around his neck, "I am yours" I say and the next thing I know I am naked in our chamber and Eric is thrusting into me.

"This is best" Eric moans.

"This is right" I agree and I lose myself to him.

**oooOOOooo**

All hell breaks loose shortly after we rise the next evening, Eric and I have awoken in the usual way we open our eyes and he ravages me, we drink from each other but Eric watches carefully how much of his blood I take. After a shower and several more orgasms I fix myself a blood bag I offer Eric one as I know he really doesn't like Trueblood that much, but he shakes his head.

"That is for you and our children" he says as he refuses the offer.

"I feel bad for you having to drink that bottled stuff, when I have fresh blood here" I say.

"You need it lover" he says and as he reaches for me a bright flash engulfs the room, Eric reacts and throws himself over me and pushing me to the ground, before spinning and adopting a defensive posture over me, his fangs are down and he is poised to attack, I look up and see a young woman who looks petrified and holds up her hands in surrender.

"The Ancient Pythoness sent me - she requests an audience I have been sent to accompany you" she says nervously.

Eric relaxes slightly and the woman pulls out a scroll of paper and hands it nervously to Eric. He opens it and nods; he turns and pulls me to my feet.

"Are you alright lover, I was enthusiastic in my defence of you, did I hurt you?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, I'm fine, I'm not human any more it takes more than that to hurt me" I rub my bump and I feel an angry kick, I pull Eric's hand towards my bump.

"But I think you made our children angry, come here and feel" I say.

Another kick comes from inside and Eric stares at my stomach and totally ignoring the woman he drops to his knees and starts talking to my stomach in his ancient language, I listen and I can understand every word, he is telling the babies to settle and not to kick me, he is telling them that everything is alright. I smile and Eric rises and meets my eyes.

The woman who was sent by the Ancient Pythoness is watching and she too is smiling but that smile fades as Eric glares at her.

"What was the meaning of invading our home like this, I could have killed you?" he growls at her his eyes are like shards of glass.

"The...The Ancient Pythoness did it, she sent me in and she awaits you outside" she says nervously.

Eric nods and pulling me close we follow the woman, we step outside into the garden and standing in the middle of our lawn is the Ancient Pythoness herself, she stands tall grasping a long staff and she looks straight at us with her sightless eyes.

"My apologies Viking, it was not my intention to startle you or bring harm to your wife, you have excellent self control, a lesser vampire would have attacked and killed" she says.

Eric bows deeply "you are most kind" he says, I realise now that, that poor woman was probably sent as some kind of test for Eric.

The ancient Pythoness turns her sightless gaze towards me, "I had to be sure that the future I saw was correct" she says.

"By scaring an innocent person!" I retort.

Eric is screaming at me in my head to shut the hell up and show more respect and I calm down a little.

The Ancient Pythoness fixes her attention to me, I am scared and my hand covers my bump instinctively.

"Your compassion is as great as was foretold and you protect your offspring well, both of you are worthy of this fate which has been bestowed upon you, I have seen and I know, you will be protected, there will a decree of supreme protection, there are those who insist on pursuing selfish agenda but your future and your mission for the future of all our kind is far more important than that of selfish monarchs, it will be known that you are under my immediate protection, you Viking and your unborn children are also included and I give you this sword to defend yourself and your mate."

She hands Eric a magnificent sword and I watch as he is practically drooling as he accepts it. "If you are attacked you will use this sword and it will notify my guards immediately that you are in peril and they will come to your aid" she says.

"Thank you your Excellency I am humbled by this gift" Eric says and he bows deeply.

"Thank you" I mutter and then she hands me a dagger.

"You will accept this dagger, I know you prefer your silver dagger which was a gift from your husband but I ask you to use this as this will also alert my guards if you are under attack" she says.

"Thank you" I say again and I curtsy slightly.

With that the Ancient Pythoness simply turns and walks away surrounded by her guards and handmaidens.

We watch her go and when she has gone we head back inside Eric is reverently caressing the sword.

"This is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship" he says.

"Eric what did all that mean, is that something like the oath of protection thing that Felipe gave me?" I ask.

Eric nods, "yes but far superior, it is a great honour to be awarded the protection of the Ancient Pythoness" he says.

"So if Sandy gets any funny ideas we will be protected against her?" I ask.

Eric nods, "We will" he says.

I grin, "You do realise that this will place an even bigger target on our backs, especially mine" I say.

"But we are protected, we are favoured and it will be accepted" Eric says confidently.

We decide to head off to Fangtasia, Greg is waiting when we get there he has a pile of paperwork from the day people of various monarchs and Were packs requesting that I read for them.

I look through them, "There are a lot here Eric, we need to go through them, and decide what we are going to do, I think I have had enough time off, it's time to get back to work again" I say.

"As you wish" Eric says.

After he has given Greg his instructions for tomorrow he disappears and Eric pulls me into his lap. We go through the different requests and I am not surprised to see one from Sandy.

"Do you think this is a trap?" I ask as I hold up the letter.

Eric nods, "After what you heard from her I wouldn't be surprised, the timing seems to be a little too convenient for it to be a coincidence".

I grin at him, "Well I'm just dying to try out my shiny new dagger and the way you were ogling that sword my guess is you'd like to try that out too" I say.

"I was not ogling" Eric says trying to look affronted at what I said, I laugh at the expression on his face.

"You were ogling Eric! Your eyes were out on stalks and your tongue was practically hanging out" I say.

Eric shakes his head, "That is a gross exaggeration, my eyes were firmly attached in their proper place and my tongue never left my mouth" he says.

I laugh once more at how insulted he sounds.

"So I shall call her and inform her that we will travel to New Orleans" he says.

He picks up the phone and calls the queen. She must have caller ID as she mentions his name when she answers the call.

"Northman, what a pleasant surprise" she says cordially.

"Your majesty, we have received your request for my wife to do some reading for you" Eric says smoothly.

"Excellent, when can I expect you both" Sandy says, I concentrate on her voice and once again I feel as though I am floating through the phone and into her mind.

_I will have to separate her from the Viking somehow and incarcerate her until the babies are born. _

I nod at Eric and silently tell him what I heard.

"Your majesty we are planning to arrive in New Orleans the day after tomorrow" he says.

"Excellent" she replies, "Are you planning to travel down by day?" she asks.

"Yes" Eric says and I once more listen in.

_This makes things so much easier, I will get my day people to separate them before they rise._

"Oh, one small thing your majesty we received an audience with the Ancient Pythoness this evening, there is to be a decree from her made at some point this night" Eric says mildly, "I thought I should inform you" he adds.

"Oh?" Sandy asks.

_Damn it what has that old bird done?_

Eric's mouth twitches as I relay to him what Sandy thought.

"My wife, myself and our unborn children have been made the subject of a decree of supreme protection by the Ancient Pythoness" Eric says.

The silence is deafening, and I have to stifle a giggle at the thoughts I am getting from Sandy at this news.

_To say she isn't happy would be an understatement _I say to Eric silently.

"Are you there your majesty?" Eric asks innocently.

"I am" Sandy says stiffly, "that is ...unexpected" she says eventually.

"Well with my wife's gift there is the chance our children would inherit it and this makes my wife a prime candidate for abduction and the Ancient Pythoness recognises the good work Sookie does for our community and for others" Eric says.

Again there is a silence so Eric pushes a little, "of course, not that you would dream of doing anything so underhand."

I nearly laugh out loud at the tone of his voice not to mention the unsavoury thoughts coming from Sandy.

"Of course not" Sandy spits, but the thoughts she is having don't match her words.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

The next evening is filled with arrangements for the visit to New Orleans, I am jittery as I know we are walking into a trap and I now have severe reservations about that. Normally I would say bring it on but there is a huge difference now and that difference is I'm going to be a mommy, and the need for me to protect my unborn children is overwhelming. What kind of mother am I to knowingly walk into trap? Yet I know it will have to be done to send a message to others with similar ideas as Sandy.

"We will be safe" Eric says, he wraps his arms around me, "I will protect you all" he vows and places his hand on my bump.

I nod, "I know, but I can't help but worry a little" I say.

"I understand" he says.

"What if she still goes ahead with the plan to separate us and hold me hostage, what if she does something to you?" I ask.

"Not going to happen" Eric says confidently.

"Ok" I say with more confidence than I feel.

"Sookie listen to me, we will come to no harm, Sandy isn't stupid, she knows that if she harms me not only will she lose your cooperation, she will risk the wrath of the Ancient Pythoness, plus she wouldn't want to risk our children, they are the objective, they are the prize as far as she is concerned, so she won't risk harming any of us," he says.

He strokes my bump protectively, "so, as long as they stay safe inside you, she can do nothing" he says.

"I'm really scared though, I get what you are saying, but I heard what she thought, she was planning to separate us" I say as fear streaks through me once more.

Eric must feel it as he tightens his hold on me.

"Yes but that was before the announcement from the Ancient Pythoness, when she had those thoughts, but now that we are now under her protection and there was no ambiguity in her announcement, she made it clear that we are protected and if anything happens to either one of us a great wrath would be sent forth, nobody is going to risk that, no matter how greedy and selfish they are" he says confidently.

I look up at him and force a smile but I am still worried and Eric knows it, he holds me close, "Where is my strong Shield Maiden?" he asks to try and lighten my mood.

I don't answer as Greg arrives, and the last details of the trip are finalised. He is accompanying us to New Orleans and keeping watch over us during the day.

The night passes quickly, and all too soon we are clambering into our travel coffins, Eric kisses me and then bends to plant a kiss on my bump, and he is rewarded with a solid kick. He laughs and speaks to the bump telling the children inside that they need to settle.

I lock the inside of the travel coffin and after sending a wave of love to Eric, which he returns to me, I drift into my day death.

"_Hello Sookie"_

_I turn in surprise and once more I am in the meadow, and I realise that once more I am in the Summerlands, I touch my stomach and it is completely flat, I panic, my babies what has happened?_

"_Don't be frightened Sookie" the voice says._

_I look and see Fintan walking towards me, "your children are safe, they cannot pass into the Summerlands with you, as they are very much alive, you are about to embark on a journey which will prove your status, there is no need for fear as you will not need your weapons and there will be no more death, you will use your words and the vampires will listen. Do you notice how powerful your gift has become?" Fintan says._

_I remember how I could hear Sandy down the phone line and I nod. "That is your children, they share your gift and they are helping you, they also channel your gift and in doing so they help you make yours stronger, and they possess other gifts, remember, they possess the blood of Water and Sky Fae royalty" Fintan pauses and looks past me, I turn and see Eric's mother walking towards us._

"_Sookie" she says and smiles at me._

"_Hello" I say lamely._

"_You need Fae blood for your children, that is why they thrive so, on the blood you share with my son, because they need Fae blood, to come into their gifts, the human blood you drink nourishes them but does not help enhance them, so you will feed from me and your grandfather before you leave us today, this will give you strength and your children what they need for this visit" she says._

_I stare at her in surprise, "But" I stammer._

"_No Sookie you need to do this, taking our blood will nourish you and your children more than you will ever realise and it will give you an advantage over the Queen" Fintan says._

_I nod with acceptance; "Ok" I say, I wish Eric was here so he could see his mother again._

"_Sookie feed from me first, Water Fae blood has different properties to Sky Fae" Eric's mother says._

_I stand behind her and push her hair away as she offers her neck to me, I don't hesitate I wrap my mouth around the area at the base of her neck and sink my fangs in, I try and be as gentle as possible and as soon as the blood hits my tongue I instinctively start to gulp greedily, after a few moments I stop and force myself to pull away healing the puncture wounds on her neck._

"_Are you alright?" I ask her._

_She nods and smiles, "You cannot drain me, it is impossible for you to do so, so if you need more take it, this is not like feeding in your realm" she says. I hesitate and she nods at me and I lean towards her again and drink more, I have never drunk so much blood before from one person and then suddenly I feel the urge to pull away. I heal her wounds and wipe my mouth._

"_Enough?" she asks me carefully and I nod my head and assure her that I've had enough._

"_Thank you" I say gratefully._

_Fintan steps up and places his hands on my shoulders, "Now I will nourish you and your babies, come here my granddaughter" he says._

_He kneels in front of me and offers me his neck and once again trying to be as gentle as possible, I feed from him, his blood tastes different to Eric's mothers, hers had a strong almost intense flavour, whereas Fintan's is light and delicate. I feed for longer as I prefer the taste of Fintan's blood._

_Eventually I pull away and Fintan smiles, "Have you had enough, remember you cannot drain either of us, you must take all that you need" he says._

_I am completely satisfied and tell him so and he nods at me, then a sudden thought occurs to me, "When I take Eric's blood it makes my babies grow, and Dr Ludwig said I had to be careful as if they got too big I wouldn't be able to give birth to them" I say, now worried about how much they will have grown during that mammoth feeding session._

"_Also how can this be happening we are all technically dead and yet...it's all just impossible and it can't be true, I shouldn't be able to feed from you" I say._

_Fintan smiles and shakes his head, "Dr Ludwig is a very good doctor but you are special Sookie, she is being influenced by what she knows to be true, but your babies need the Fae blood, Eric is the only source of that blood so they make the most of when you sip from him, do not deny them, I assure you that your children will be born safely and neither you or they, will be harmed" he says."And as for your other question, do not question anything, the normal rules do not seem to apply when destiny is involved, greater forces are at work here, so it is best just to accept it and go with it" he says with an unconcerned shrug._

"_Ok" I say, I look up at my grandfather, "Am I walking into a trap going to New Orleans?" I ask._

_Fintan nods his head, "yes you are, the queen wishes to keep you in New Orleans, your vampire queen will try to seduce you into staying in New Orleans, but she will not be so foolish as to try and harm you or Eric, she will try her hardest to keep you there, but as I say you will use your words and your gifts, there will be no need for your weapons as your words and gifts will be enough" he says._

"_There is one more thing you need to know Sookie, now that you have had a sufficient amount of my blood and your grandfathers blood, your children will possess gifts to be able to manipulate the weather, when Sky and Water Fae blood combines, it produces powerful gifts your children will be able to control the air and water elements of which weather is a part and you will also be able to channel their gifts while they reside inside you. Also you should understand that they are aware of everything in the outside world Sookie, they are not normal babies, they are in no way helpless, they hear everything and will have some influence in your decisions, so if you suddenly feel the urge to do something which you have never before done, go with it as it is your children guiding you" Eric's mother says to me._

"_Ok" I say again a little overwhelmed by what I am being told._

"_You must return now, it is now your time to rise in your realm and your husband awaits you" Fintan says._

_I nod, "Look, if I need fairy blood as much as you say I do, can I... can I come here again...and?" I ask trailing off. I don't want to ask if I can feed from them again._

_Fintan smiles, "You will always be welcome here Sookie" he says, "and our blood will always be available to you and your children" he adds._

"_Thank you" I reply._

_Once again everything shimmers and then goes black._

I open my eyes and I am staring at the lid of my travel coffin, I unlock it and almost immediately it opens and Eric is standing there.

"Are you alright?" he asks anxiously "You didn't rise at your normal time" he says.

I quickly tell him everything and he listens carefully, he looks down and smiles, "That accounts for this then" he says as he points at my now huge bump.

"Oh my god" I exclaim as I look at it, "I am enormous".

Eric helps me up and yet I don't feel heavy and clumsy which I assumed I should do at this point in pregnancy, and I feel stronger and fitter if anything. I tell Eric all this and he nods.

"You have fed from a source you needed, it is only natural you would feel good" he says, I remember how good I felt after I had drained the Fire Sprite and it all falls into place.

I look around, "Where are we?" I ask.

"In the palace, Greg has been here, he is now resting, and he will oversee our return home at dawn" Eric says, "Do you need to feed again?" he asks as we move towards the door.

I shake my head, "No, do you?" I ask.

"I have done so already, Greg provided me with a meal as I don't think we will be offered hospitality" Eric replies.

I look surprised and Eric nods at me.

"I believe that it is Sandy's intention, she wants to keep us hungry, she probably assumes it will make us more agreeable to her demands, so it is a good thing I brought our own food with us," he says.

"Well I'm fine, so let's get this over with shall we?" I say.

Watch as Eric straps his sword to his back and I slip the dagger the Ancient Pythoness gave me into my purse.

"Fintan and your mother said we wouldn't need them, but I feel happier having them ...just in case" I say.

Eric nods, "it is best to be prepared" he agrees.

We leave the room and are greeted by two vampires who inform us that Sandy is expecting us.

_Do you notice they don't offer us blood?_ I ask silently.

_It's a good job I have already fed, are you sure you don't need to feed?" _ He asks.

I think carefully, _I don't need to but_ _maybe I will, just to shake things up, as it will assist me to listen to thoughts and find out what the plan is if I ask them for blood,_ I say silently and I see Eric smile.

"Erm excuse me, but I need to feed, I have just risen and I'm hungry" I say and rub my hand over my stomach.

The two vampires stare at my bump and nod in unison. "Of course, please forgive our lack of hospitality" they say, I dip into their heads and listen to what they are thinking.

_Damn it we cannot deny them blood, if any harm comes to them the Ancient Pythoness will kill us, Sandy must be out of her mind to want to try and keep them hungry and weak._

I quickly relay what I have heard to Eric and I see his eyebrows rise slightly.

We are led into a large room and warmed bottles of blood are produced. I smile at the vampire and accept the bottle and unfasten it, I quickly check the minds of the vampires to see if there is anything I should know, and all I get is benign thoughts. I take a gulp of the blood and my children kick and move furiously, I know immediately that they don't like this blood so I don't take any more. I glance at Eric and I feel the almost overwhelming need to feed from him. I realise this is my children telling me this.

_Eric I need to feed from you, our children don't like this blood._

_I can't say I blame them, _Eric replies sardonically.

Eric looks at me and I wonder how we are going to do this then something incredible happens, I feel a warmth caress me and I feel the overwhelming urge to look in my purse, I do so and inside is a vial of blood which definitely wasn't there before, I stare at it and open it and sniff, it is Fintan's blood...and Eerika's as well, I don't hesitate and gulp it down and my children immediately settle. Eric is watching me anxiously.

_Its ok, Fintan and your mother somehow sent me some blood_ I explain silently and Eric looks relieved, then his eyes move to my stomach and I look down and see it grow a little more.

"Is everyone ready?" I ask.

The two vampires lead us through into another room and there is Sandy, she stands and smiles, her eyes are fixed on my huge swollen stomach and I can hear her thoughts as loudly as if she is shouting at me.

_Oh my! Look at her she can't have much longer, I need those children to mould and teach our ways and they will grow up to be my telepaths, two telepaths who I will raise as my own children and it won't be too much longer by the look of her._

I am shocked and relay what I have heard to Eric, I feel the anger rising in him, although to look at him he looks totally impassive.

I feel the urge to confront Sandy with her thoughts, I try and suppress it but it gets stronger and I know that my children want me to do this, I glance at Eric and as our eyes meet I send two words to him – _trust me_, then turn my attention towards Sandy.

"Why do you want my children Sandy?" I ask calmly.

_What the hell are you doing? _Eric almost screams at me, as hestares at me in shock, and I try and quell the alarm I am getting from him by sending him waves of comfort and confidence.

_Please, trust me_ I repeat.

Sandy looks thunderstruck and she too is staring at me as if she can't believe what I said, but obviously for a very different reason, she is wondering how I know what she is thinking.

"I...I...I" she stammers.

"You wanted to separate me from Eric, and keep me hostage but you have decided against that since the Ancient Pythoness made her decree, so now you are planning to try and persuade us to stay here by offering us places within your retinue and then when my children are born you are planning to take them from me and raise them as your own" I say.

Sandy's eyes nearly pop out of her head as I tell her what I know.

"How?" she asks eventually.

The words come into my mouth easily and even though I know that what I am about to say isn't totally true I start to speak, "Very easily Sandy I can hear you" I tap my head and Eric sends me another wave of alarm but I ignore him.

I concentrate on Sandy, "My pregnancy has given me added value to my gift, I can hear the thoughts of vampires who mean me or my family harm" I say, I feel Eric's anxiety lower at this and I glance at him and see him smile, he can see what I am doing here.

Sandy glares at me, "you can hear my thoughts?" she spits.

I nod calmly, "Oh yes, at this moment you are afraid and angry, you are furious that I have uncovered your scheme, and also terrified that I am going to inform the Ancient Pythoness of your treachery, and now you want me to shut up and stop listening to your thoughts, so baring all that in mind perhaps we can come to some agreement" I say.

Eric steps up beside me and wraps his arm around me.

"Continue" Sandy says nervously.

"I have no idea if this _improved _telepathy is permanent or just a side effect of my pregnancy – I am assuming it is temporary, but even if its not there is no cause for concern on your part, as long as you don't mean me or my family any harm" I say.

I know this is not true, as I can hear all vampires all the time but she doesn't need to know that, but I realise just how clever this is, vampires are naturally suspicious so they won't want me to listen in on them as they will feel threatened so if they realise I can only do it if they mean me harm then that will have the effect on them not wanting to do me harm, I also realise in that moment just how clever my children are as they came up with this ruse.

"So having said that I am prepared to continue to offer my services to you on the condition that you leave my children alone, and you will forget ever having any plans to take them from me, if you persist in these plans then I'm sorry but all bets are off and you will wish that the Ancient Pythoness had got to you first." I say with a small smile.

I wait and listen to her mind and it works, and even though Sandy is furious that her plan has been thwarted, her desire to live trumps the idea of owning my children as a symbol of her own prestige, she realises that she will get no advantages and she will undoubtedly end up dead as the other part of what I said was no idle threat. In that moment I realise this is why we had to come here, I had to say these words to her. I had to do this not only to stop her but also to thwart any further plans from greedy vampires who meant my family any harm.

"You and your children shall remain safe, we will continue with the arrangement currently in place" Sandy says dejectedly, I look into her brain and she is being sincere.

"Now wasn't that better, I know you are sincere as I can no longer hear you" I say lying once more and I feel the relief wash over her.

"So, you will hear my thoughts only if I have negative thoughts about you or your family, and if I mean them harm?" Sandy asks, clearly wanting clarification and it puts me on alert at what she is now considering.

I nod, "yes, along with any other vampire" I add, meaning that any vampire who means me harm I can also hear, but I immediately I hear her thoughts of disappointment, and I realise she was going to get someone else to do the deed.

I glare at her once more, "and also thinking about getting someone else to do your dirty work counts" I say wryly and Sandy looks shocked all over again.

"My apologies Mrs Northman, you have my word that I will do you and your family no harm" she says eventually after a few moments of going through the pros and cons of continuing with her plan.

I stare at her and the words once more seem to pop into my mind.

"Why can't vampires just look at the bigger picture, since I joined y'all I have noticed that time and time again you are always looking for immediate gain, and to hell with the consequences, there is this distrust and deviousness and wanting to get one up on everyone else and wanting to look bigger and better than everyone else, and yet if you just worked together with openness and honesty you would be much stronger." I pause and she thinks about that.

I feel the urge to say more and so I continue to speak, "Just like I am advocating with inter species co-operation, if y'all just cooperated with each other there would be no need for spies in each others areas and the threat of takeovers, no need for surrounding yourselves with assets to secure your positions because y'all would be confident in the knowledge that everyone had everyone else's back, and the strength of the entire race would increase with that unity, if only y'all worked together and just stopped being so damn selfish." I stop speaking and Sandy stares at me in shock.

"There is no I team" she mutters.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing...Something I remember from my human days, a teacher who I respected greatly said that, and it is very much like what you are saying now, and it seems to makes a great deal of sense" she says, she pauses and then she speaks again.

"You have shown me a better way, this new way of thinking is interesting, and I believe you should spread this word among our kind as it is very persuasive" she says.

I smile, "I'd be happy to do so" I say.

"So you will remain in New Orleans?" Sandy asks hopefully.

I immediately realise that nothing has changed and she still harbours desires to keep me and my children here.

"No your majesty my home is in Shreveport" I say.

"As you wish Mrs Northman" she replies mildly.

I listen carefully to Sandy and while she is trying desperately to keep her thoughts benign she is plotting something. I quickly decide that we need to get home quickly.

"So your majesty who was it you wanted me to read?" I ask.

Sandy looks momentarily blank, and as I suspected there never was any assignment.

"Have you got us here under false pretences?" I ask with more than a hint of menace in my tone.

"I wanted to have you join my retinue" Sandy says.

"Then you should have just asked me" I snap.

"Mrs Northman, I knew you would not leave your husband to come and live here" Sandy says.

I snort derisively, "No I wouldn't, because where I go Eric goes, and vice versa we are a package deal, now if there is no assignment we will be leaving for home, but you will still be fully charged for my visit along with the penalty charge, for wasting my time" I say, as I know this will get to her more than anything.

I feel Eric's amusement at that and I see the look of shock and anger on Sandy's face. I slip my arm into Eric's and we turn to leave.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me" Sandy shrieks.

I spin on the spot "Or what?" I ask.

She deflates quickly as she knows she cannot threaten us.

"I demand you remain in New Orleans, as your monarch you have to obey my command" she says grandly, all pretence at letting us go peacefully is now gone.

I smile, "So let's get this straight, you are demanding that I stay somewhere I don't want to be?" I say.

Sandy nervously thinks about that and then nods, "as your queen it is within my rights to make such a demand" she says.

"And speaking as someone who was brought here under false pretences because the said queen wanted to treat me and my children as assets, something which I have repeatedly said I am not, and also had plans of imprisoning me and abducting my children, I would say that I am well within my rights to leave, and if you continue to try and stop me or Eric from leaving this place, I warn you it won't end well" I say mildly.

Sandy laughs, "I am not going to harm you, I want you too much to harm you, plus it would be signing my own death warrant to do so" she says, "But I am going to use whatever persuasion I can to keep you both here" she adds.

I hear Eerika's voice in my head, _don't forget_ _your children can control the weather _I have no idea if this is me remembering or if she is talking to me now, I look up at Eric and he nods, and I know he heard it as well.

I return my attention back to Sandy, "So you are going to use your position to try and get us to stay?" I say and Sandy nods triumphantly.

I feel my hands heating up "Then I'm afraid I will have to use my position to persuade you otherwise" I say.

I glance at Eric once more, "Eric get out of the way" I say and immediately Eric steps away, as he does so a bright light like the sun bursts from me, Sandy shrieks and cowers.

"What is this?" she stammers, "A vampire that controls the very thing that can kill us, how can this be?" she asks, she is absolutely petrified by what I have just done.

If I am honest I had no idea what this is, then it hits me, I drank the blood of the fire sprite so along with the blood of sky and water Fae which combined controls weather conditions adding the dash of fire sprite to the mix gives me access to the sun, wow this is far better than being a day walker – I am the day time!

"Well Sandy, this, is me telling you, I am not an asset, I am not a pawn for you to use for your own gain, I will not be used by any individual, I use my gifts for the benefit of the whole supernatural community and for anyone who needs it, I will not be kept captive by individuals who want to harness me for themselves and their own ambition, and my children will not be used or taken from me, am I making my position clear?" I say

I hold up my hands as though I am going to blast her once more with my sunlight, even though I'm not totally sure anything is going to happen.

Sandy nods frantically, "You are free to leave" she says.

The light dissipates and finally vanishes completely, and I turn towards Eric.

"Shall we go?" I ask.

Eric smiles, "I'm ready when you are lover" he says.

Once we are alone Eric turns to face me, "What the hell was that?" he asks.

I press my finger to my lips and I send out my senses to the room I walk towards a light and point at it and silently send the word bug to Eric.

"That was me making my position clear" I say out loud.

He nods and we continue the conversation silently.

I shake my head, _I have no idea, but my best guess is, your mom said with hers and Fintan's blood our children would have the gift of controlling the air and water elements – namely weather conditions, and well...I drank from the fire sprite so I'm guessing fire...the sun is also included in that, they said that I would channel their gifts as long as I was carrying them and they would enhance my gift. _I say with a shrug.

_It was amazing to watch and word will spread about this, nobody will harm you and all will listen to your wise words, I can see it all now I can see the future, I am honoured that you chose to fall in love with me_, he says.

I wrap my arms around Eric and out loud I say, "I want to go home now."

"Then we will leave and I am pretty certain after that performance nobody will dare to prevent us from doing so" he replies.

Eric reaches for his phone and calls Greg, "We are leaving now, my apologies for disturbing your rest but your assistance is required to load our travel coffins" he says.

Moments later Greg appears and we load up ready to leave, Eric drives and Greg sleeps in the back of the vehicle, I sit beside Eric and try and process everything that has happened tonight. I have no idea why I was chosen to effectively lead the supernatural community and make them see a better way but I have now accepted that fact. I rub my hand over my bump and as I do so I feel a tightening around my stomach. I gasp; Eric's face whips around to meet mine.

"You are in pain" he says.

I nod, "it felt like tightening around me" I say.

Eric quickly does the maths, "its about a five hour drive back to Shreveport, but I'm sure I can do it in less, even in this vehicle" he looks at his watch, "It will be close to dawn by the time we get back" he says.

"Just keep driving" I say, Eric nods and puts his foot down.

"Hold on" he replies.


	28. Chapter 28

**AUTHORS NOTE: Well here is the final chapter, I hope I have accomplished all that I set out to do in making a more satisfactory ending than the one Ms Harris came up with. It has taken a few years for me to revisit the notes I made at the time I read DEA, as it took that long for me to regain the inclination to return to the books, and tie up all the unanswered points I had, and find the point where I think the series fell apart and redo it from there. **

**I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who has taken the time and effort to read my story, and I hope that I have succeeded with what I set out to do and that is give what everyone seemed to want (apart from Ms Harris) and that is a happy ending for Eric and Sookie.**

CHAPTER 28

We get back to Shreveport in record time and Eric helps me into the house, I am still experiencing pain and he calls Dr Ludwig. Almost immediately she appears in the room and examines me.

"What the hell has happened here, how much blood have you been taking?" she asks sharply as she stares at my huge swollen stomach.

I quickly outline everything that has happened, and what I was told by Fintan and Eerika and Dr Ludwig gapes and spins on the spot to face Eric.

"Eerika the water Fae princess? You...you are Eerika's boy?" she murmurs in shock.

Eric nods impatiently, "I am, but that is irrelevant at this point, my wife requires your attention" he snaps.

Dr Ludwig nods, "this changes everything, the combination of water and sky Fae blood, your children will be powerful" she says almost reverently.

"Don't forget fire as well" I gasp, "the fire sprite I drained" I add at Dr Ludwig's puzzled look.

Dr Ludwig shakes her head, "That will have no lasting effect" she says.

"Then how come my wife could command the sun earlier?" Eric asks irritably.

Dr Ludwig smiles, "because the sun resides inside her" she turns to me, "when you were human you enjoyed soaking up the suns rays?" she asks.

I nod in confusion.

"Your pregnancy is awakening your Fae gifts and you are learning to harness them at last, you are a vampire but ironically you are now also more Fae, I believe that becoming a vampire has eliminated the humanity allowing the supernatural to come forward and take over" she says.

"So this isn't a temporary thing that I am channelling, through my children and their gifts?" I ask.

Dr Ludwig shakes her head, "No, that one was all yours, but it took your children's gifts within you to help you find it" she says.

"The pains have stopped now" I say.

Dr Ludwig nods, "That pain experienced wasn't birthing pain, that was your body...recharging, you used your Fae gifts and because of the pregnancy and your children taking your essence to feed themselves, you felt pain as your body recovered from the exertion" she says.

This all sounds incredible and unbelievable.

"So my children are both ok?" I ask.

Dr Ludwig nods, "they are, but I will tell you your time is very close, it won't be too long before you give birth to them" she looks out of the window, "but for now dawn is fast approaching, if you are able to, go to the Summerlands and partake in Fae blood, I would insist you do so after your exertions tonight" she says and with that, she is gone.

I look at Eric, "Can you believe all that?" I ask.

Eric grins and pulls me close, "I always knew you were special, but you continue to surprise me at just how special you are" he replies.

Eric stands and pulls me up out of my seat, "Come on lets go to bed" he says.

We head to our underground chamber and Eric lifts me down through the floor and then locks us in.

As we lay in our bed in each others arms Eric speaks, "Promise me if you go to the Summerlands while in your day death you will drink from Fintan and my mother" he says.

I nod, "I will and I wish you would come with me" I say.

"So do I" he replies.

We lie together and slowly as the dawn takes hold we die for the day.

_Sookie how wonderful to see you again" I turn and see Fintan smiling at me._

"_Grandfather, thank you for the blood you sent me" I say._

_He nods and smiles once more, "I am not able to do that regularly so do not expect or rely on it, while you are carrying your children it would be best if you didn't drink the synthetic blood" he warns._

"_Ok" I reply although I had figured that much out by myself._

_Fintan walks towards me and hugs me tightly, "You need some blood now" he says, he says it as a statement rather than a question but I still answer him with a nod._

"_If you don't mind" I say._

"_Not at all, we will wait for Eerika to arrive as it is best you feed from her first and she has a visitor at the moment" he says._

_I nod and as we wait, we walk through the meadow together in a companionable silence then a question I have been pondering for a while pops into my mind, "Grandfather can I ask you something?" I say._

_We stop walking and Fintan nods, "Of course you can child, you can ask me anything" he says and he waits patiently for me to speak. I go through everything that Dr Ludwig says and he agrees with her theory so I make the point I want answering._

"_So if all that is right, if Eric is also descended from Fae why doesn't he have gifts like mine and why didn't he become more Fae when he became a vampire?" I ask._

_Fintan smiles, "He does, admittedly he's not as powerful as you but he never fully embraced his Fae heritage," he says._

"_How could he when he didn't know about it, he only found out the other day?" I ask defensively._

"_Very true, but Eerika felt it was best to keep him in his ignorance as he appeared to favour his humanity when he was alive, there was probably the assumption that he did not possess the essential spark so therefore she felt no need to inform him of his Fae heritage, but having said that he has an instinctive affinity with water, which came in very useful when he was human and a Viking warrior who spent a great deal of time at sea, he had a sixth sense when storms were approaching and the seas would be rough and his uncanny knowledge kept himself and his Viking clan safe, also he has a legendary sex drive, that is in part due to his Fae ancestry, but of course his Viking blood also plays a part in that. It is true that he inherited more of his father's qualities from his human side, but if he didn't have that strong Viking spirit, he would never have survived Ocella and his sadism" Fintan says._

_I realise once again it was down to fate once more, Eric was supposed to be less Fae to help him survive the cruel treatment of his maker with a strong will, he was just a pawn in a bigger game, much like me. I suddenly feel resentful of the way I perceive that we have both been 'used'._

"_Sookie you have not used you have been chosen for a greater purpose than you could possibly fathom" Fintan says kindly._

_I nod and try and push the negative thoughts from my mind._

"_Sookie" I turn at the familiar voice and smile and my silent heart lurches as I see Eric walking towards me with his mother._

"_You came!" I say and rush into his arms. _

_Eric points at my flat stomach "our children" he says and I feel his concern._

_I shake my head, "they are alive, they just cannot cross over to the Summerlands but I was assured they are safe" I say, "you came here" I say again._

"_I did, I have no idea how I managed to do so, but I believe it is because I am now aware of my own Fae ancestry" he says, he touches my stomach, "you are certain our children are safe?" he asks._

"_I am" I say._

_Eric nods satisfied with my answer. Eerika walks up to me and hugs me and she turns to Eric._

"_Don't worry Eric, your children are perfectly fine, they are thriving in your realm but they will benefit from Sookie when she feeds, whilst here" she says._

"_How can this be, nothing makes sense it all seems go against what we know to be right?" Eric asks voicing the question I have been wondering for a while._

_Eerika smiles, "It is not our place to question why or how, it is so and that is all you need to know" she says._

_Then she turns her attention to me, "Sookie let me feed you" she says and she tilts her neck towards me, I glance at Eric and then bite. I feed for even longer this time as I now know that I can't drain her and when I eventually pull away I smile._

"_Thank you" I say, and she simply nods at me, then I watch as she turns towards Eric and holds out her arms._

"_Will you allow me to feed you, my son?" she asks. _

_I watch Eric's nostrils flare and then he nods, just once. Eerika steps closer to him and tilts her head. Eric hesitates a moment and then strikes, I watch as he feeds from his mother's neck gulping her blood. Eventually he pulls away and heals her._

"_Thank you mother" he says and steps away._

_Eerika smiles at him and touches his face, "It was my duty and my honour as your mother to give you what you need" she says. Then she lets out a small laugh, "although the last time I fed you, you were much smaller."_

_I realise that she is referring to when she fed him as a baby and I smile at the thought of a baby Eric suckling his mother._

_I feel a hand on my arm and I turn to face Fintan, he silently offers me his neck once more I latch on and drink from him. When I have taken my fill I pull away and thank him._

_Fintan takes my hands in his, "You will meet your children when you rise" he says._

_The words that Dr Ludwig spoke go through my mind that I was near to giving birth, I look shocked it surely hasn't been long enough and yet I know these are not ordinary children. I look at Eric who is immediately on alert at this news._

"_You will be magnificent Sookie, just follow your instincts and all will be well" Fintan says._

_Eerika grasps my hand, "we will be watching over you, and I'm sure Adele will also be keeping an eye on proceedings" she says. You need to go now Sookie, good luck and Eric you will take good care of her" Eerika adds._

"_I will" Eric replies. _

_I look up at Eric, "Are you ready to become a daddy then?" I ask._

_Eric smiles at me, "Bring it on!" he says._

The now familiar shimmering and fading to black occurs and I open my eyes, as I do so I feel a tremendous pain I sit up and gasp holding my side. Eric immediately opens his eyes and sits up with me.

"Sookie" he says and reaches for his phone and calls Dr Ludwig, "it begins" he says to her when she answers and moments later she materialises in the room with us. Then he calls for Pam before returning his attention to me, he grasps my hand tightly.

"Do you need to feed from me?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No, not at the moment" I say. I feel uncomfortable and I get on to my knees and rest my elbows on the bed so I am on all fours and I rock gently from side to side.

"Tell me what to do" Eric says, and I can hear the worry in his voice, I realise he can feel the pain I am experiencing through the bond.

"There is nothing at the moment, just being here helps" I say and I gasp again at another pain.

"Can you not relieve the pain she feels?" Eric snaps viciously at Dr Ludwig.

I watch with amusement as she firmly puts him in his place.

"Just because you can feel everything as well vampire there is no need to shout at me, women have always done this and endured the pain that accompanies it, it's about time a man fully experienced and appreciated what they go through with childbirth, if she was human I could give her medication to ease the pain, but as they are not human I do not want to risk your wife and children unnecessarily."

I look at Dr Ludwig and I know that she is enjoying Eric's discomfort, but I also know that Eric isn't concerned about his own pain, he is just worried about me, so I try and close the bond so he can't feel the pain I am experiencing, but Eric wrenches it back open again.

"No Sookie, do not close the bond - we do this together" he says firmly, and I see a look of surprise and then respect on Dr Ludwig's face at his words.

Dr Ludwig examines me and tells me that things are progressing very quickly and I will soon be able to push, I stare at her in shock and once again I am reminded that this is not a normal run of the mill pregnancy and birth.

"If you were a human, I'd be telling you to breathe which helps with the pain" Dr Ludwig says.

I do as she says and I find if I start breathing it does help, Eric stares at me as if I am crazy as I breathe through the pain even though I don't need to breathe now.

"What the hell are you doing Sookie?" he asks.

"It does help with the management of the pain" I say.

He accepts this and he nods and then he begins to breathe with me and I see the surprise on his face as he too realises that it helps ease the discomfort he is experiencing. I am still on my knees but I lift myself up and pull Eric towards me, he is on his knees facing me and he rests his hands on my bump and starts talking to our children, telling them that they are going to be born and not to be afraid. As he does this I hear their thoughts and Eric does as well as he rears back and stares at my bump.

"I...I...I heard them, they responded to my words" he says.

"So did I" I say, "Keep talking to them, reassure them and tell them I love them" I gasp as another pain bombards me.

Eric bends and talks to the babies and I hear them responding to him, they ask if what is going to happen will hurt, Eric looks up at Dr Ludwig, "Will my children feel pain during the time that they are being born?" he asks.

Dr Ludwig nods, "It isn't a pleasant experience for them, but normally babies have no knowledge or memory of the process" she says.

Eric relays this information and tells the babies to be brave and that we are waiting for them, he assures them that we are not having an easy time of it either.

"Don't tell them that" I snap.

Dr Ludwig is watching with interest at the three way conversation we are having, and then it's as if she has a light bulb moment.

"Vampire, get your children to describe what is happening in there from their point of view" she says.

Eric puts his head against my bump and asks the children to describe what is happening to them.

I can hear their response and I listen to them, I hear a male saying that he is being pushed towards an opening but he doesn't like it as it doesn't look big enough, he says it feels like the walls are closing in on them and then he tells me the water around him is going and as he says this I feel my waters break, I reassure them that this is all perfectly normal and then I hear the female voice say that her brother is making his way out, she is following him and a few moments later she says he has gone now and she is alone preparing to leave the safety of my womb.

Eric relays all this and Dr Ludwig examines me once more, "help them Sookie, your son is in the birth canal, so you need to start to push" she says.

Eric tells them that I am going to help them by pushing and not to worry and to be brave. I look at Eric and gasp out his name. He immediately looks up at me.

"Help me" I say and Eric nods.

I wrap my arms around his neck and look into his eyes and I start to push, Eric places his hands on my hips and I bear down not taking my eyes off Eric.

"Keep going, you can do this" Eric encourages as he floods the bond with strength and comfort.

I hear my son saying that he also feels the encouragement and comfort that Eric is sending and that it is helping, I also try and send my own to him and Eric increases the positive emotions he is sending and I hear my son say that there is pressure all around him, pushing him forward. He tells us he doesn't like it and that it feels uncomfortable but with our silent encouragement it is bearable and so with the three way bond we have established, Eric and I pour every positive emotion we can muster into it and Eric speaks words of encouragement to my stomach, and as we continue to do this, we make progress.

With every contraction I push and then Eric's head snaps downwards. "My son is coming, he is here – he says he sees light" Eric says.

"I can see the baby's head, he is crowning" Dr Ludwig says.

I push again and then I suddenly hear a panicked thought of being unable to move and a tightening sensation around his neck.

Eric also must hear it as he shouts, "Wait stop, the cord, my son is tangled, it chokes him" he says.

Dr Ludwig investigates and the cord is gently removed from around our son's neck, and she tells me to push again, moments later a loud angry cry fills the room, and I look down to see a wriggling baby with the most amazing blue eyes that I have ever seen. I touch him and a moment later Eric severs the physical bond between us by cutting the cord with his dagger, Dr Ludwig cleans him and wraps him and hands him to Eric as I push again.

"Eric" I say and Eric returns his attention to me, he tells our son that he is going to help bring his sister into the world as he gently lays him on the bed beside us. I reach down and touch him and he looks up at me and I am startled by the intelligence and understanding in his eyes.

This is the most amazing and yet bizarre thing I have ever experienced, Dr Ludwig is giving me instructions I can hear Eric talking to our daughter and she is answering him, we are once again flooding the bond with comfort and love and then I look down and our son now has his head turned towards us and he is also encouraging his sister to come out. I send my own silent encouragement to her and push hard and a few moments later our daughter makes her entrance into the world, she too has gorgeous blue eyes and Eric once again cuts the cord, he gathers the two babies into his arms as Dr Ludwig helps me deliver the afterbirths.

I look over to Eric and I see he has the babies lying in front of him on the bed and he has pierced his fingers and our children are drinking his blood hungrily. I smile as I watch him; this moment is about as far from human as you can get, but the look on Eric's face is one of total love for our children and you can't get more human than that.

Eric sees me watching and gathers up the babies and brings them over to me, "Din mamma vill träffa er båda" he says them and I smile, he has just told them that I want to meet them, I hold out my arms and he places a baby in each arm.

"Hi babies" I say as I look down at them both, I hear their thoughts they are curious they are watching everything going on around them then I hear my daughters thoughts.

_Are you our mother?_

I smile at her, "I am your mother" I say and I lean down and kiss her forehead, Eric sits beside me and looks down at the two babies, "and this is your daddy" I say. Eric kisses me and then plants a kiss on each baby.

"You were brilliant" Eric says turning his attention to me, "I am so proud of you" he adds.

We both look up as the door opens and babies both turn their heads to looks.

"Hi Pam" I say.

Pam stares at the babies and walks closer, but she doesn't say anything.

"Pam" Eric says.

"They both look like you," Pam says her eyes fixed on the babies.

"You are also my child" Eric says carefully. I look from Eric to Pam and I wait for her response.

Pam smiles, "and I will always be proud of that fact" she says, "congratulations, you are very fortunate" she says.

I can't help myself I speak to Pam silently, _whats wrong Pam? _ I ask.

Pam's eyes flicker to mine, but she doesn't answer, then I hear the babies 'speak' to her.

_You are Pam, you are our elder sister, daddy has told us a lot about you, he said you would teach us to fight well_ _and you would help to protect us._

Pam looks shocked, "they spoke to me, in my mind, just like how we communicate" she says.

I nod "they can do that, they are not your every day kind of babies" I say with a smile.

Pam's demeanour changes immediately and she comes closer, "I will teach you our ways and I will protect you" she says to them and she hesitantly extends her hand towards them.

As she does this, our son reaches for her and grips her finger tightly and Pam's face breaks into a bright smile.

"You have your fathers strength" she says.

"Would you like to hold him?" Eric asks.

Pam looks momentarily panic stricken but then nods, Eric manoeuvers the baby from me into her arms and she holds him looking down at him. Then she looks at our daughter, she shuffles our son over to Eric and then looks at me.

"May I hold her as well?" she asks.

I nod and hand her over, Pam smiles down at her, and then a wicked glint appears in her eyes.

"With Sookie as your mother and me as your sister... we are going to give your father hell!" she says wryly and I giggle as Pam glances at Eric who glares at her.

"Don't make me command you to shut up Pam" he growls.

"What have you named them?" Pam asks.

I look at Eric and he shakes his head, "We have not yet decided" he says.

"I'd like to name our daughter Adele after my gran if thats ok with you?" I ask, and I thought maybe Eerika after your mom?" I ask.

Eric nods, "Adele Eerika?" he says and I nod "I am happy with that, then I would like to call our son Arik Fintan" he says, I smile and nod.

"Arik, is that an older version of your name?" I ask.

Eric nods, "It was also my fathers name and my elder brothers name" he says quietly.

"I like that" I say then I look at our babies, "So Adele Eerika Northman and Arik Fintan Northman, do you like your names?" I ask them.

I get a yes from both of their minds and Eric beams at them and then at me.

"This is going to be very interesting" he says.

"You're telling me!" I say.

**oooOOOooo**

After a short while Pam leaves and Dr Ludwig does many tests before also leaving us alone. Eric and I stare down at our children I don't think either of us can quite believe the events of tonight. I think about our childrens names and I look at Eric.

"Eric, what was your real name, back when you were human?" I ask.

Eric smiles at me, "Magnus" he says.

"Magnus? What does that mean?" I ask, although I think I may have some idea.

Eric snorts, "It means big, I was a larger than average baby, who grew into a larger than average child who grew into the man you see before you now" he says.

I smile at him, "so you took your dad's name when you became a vampire?" I ask.

Eric nods, "I have had many names over the centuries, you see when we were in hiding we had to maintain the pretence of humanity, so after a period of time we had to 'die' so suspicion wasn't aroused" he explains.

"But then when we went public and I realised I could now keep my name for eternity and not have to change it again, and so I chose Eric Magnus Northman, after all, Eric honoured both my father and my mother and Magus was originally my own name, and as for Northman, well, that speaks for itself," he says.

I smile and touch his face, "It was a good choice" I say, although I was surprised to hear he had a middle name I didn't know he had one until this moment.

I realise that he may be over a thousand years old, and been a vampire for longer than he was ever human, but he still holds an affinity and pride with his human heritage. Everything that Eric has said reminds me of my own family, family who are no longer with us.

I look around "What do you think of your great grand children, gran?" I ask out loud. I don't expect any answer and I feel a little silly for saying it, so I am shocked when I see a shimmering of the air in the corner of the room.

I squeal in shock, then peering at the apparition I smile, "Gran?" I ask.

"Hello Sookie, I cannot remain long, but I had to come and see them, well done, you were magnificent" she says, and she turns to Eric, "as were you young man" she says.

I giggle as I find her calling Eric a young man very amusing. Eric nods and thanks gran and she returns her attention to me.

"Thank you for naming this little one after me" she says as she gestures towards Adele. The babies are staring at her and Eric speaks.

"Arik, Adele this is your great grandmother, Adele Stackhouse, in life she was your mothers grand mother and guardian" he says.

I hear Arik ask if she is human and I reply out loud, "Yes Arik, she was human when she lived, but she sadly died, she is now in the afterlife" I say.

"How did you get here gran?" I ask.

Gran shakes her head, "I have no idea, I watched you give birth and the desire I had to see you was so intense, and when you spoke to me it released something and I was able to appear before you, but I can feel whatever magic accomplished that is now fading, and I will have to go, but I am so proud of you Sookie, and even though you cannot see me I am always watching over you, " she says.

With that I watch my gran slowly shimmer and fade away.

"Bye gran" I whisper.

Moments pass and then I see a flash of light and a note floats down on to the bed I pick it up and open it.

_Eric & Sookie_

_You have two beautiful children, we are unable to come to your realm as Adele was so we send this message to let you know that we are watching over you and we have seen your children born, we are both very proud of you and we are honoured that your children bear our names._

_When you both fall into your day deaths please return to the Summerlands, so we can talk to you both personally._

_When you are in your day deaths, do not fear as your children will be safe and watched over and most importantly protected._

_Congratulations once more to you both._

_Fintan and Eerika_

I hand the note to Eric and he reads it silently.

"i wondered what would happen to them, then we entered our day deaths" Eric says.

"We have to trust that whatever or whoever decided it was a good idea for us to have children, would also have the foresight to protect them when we are unable to," I say.

"Well this has been an eventful night" Eric says.

"You can say that again" I reply.

_Mother I am hungry _Adele says silently to me and then Arik pipes up saying he is hungry.

"What do you need?" I ask them.

_Your blood _they both reply.

I don't hesitate but pierce my fingers and place them in my childrens mouths as I saw Eric do earlier.

They latch on and feed noisily and I smile.

"I can help with feeding duties" Eric says as he watches.

"Yes you can" I reply.

"In all my existence, I never expected to end up like this" Eric says.

I snort with laughter, "if only we had known on that first night Bill took me to Fangtasia?" I say.

Eric laughs, "if anyone had told me that night what I would be doing now, I would have laughed in their faces and then probably killed them!" he says.

"But now?" I ask looking up into Eric's eyes.

I watch as they soften with love, "Now I would have to believe it, because it is true" he says.

_We have had enough_ I look down and my children have stopped feeding and I smile at them.

"What do we do now?" I ask.

"I suggest we just go with the flow and what will be will be" Eric replies pragmatically.

I lean towards him and kiss him, "sounds good to me" I say and look down, "What do you two think?" I ask them.

_Bring it on! _ My children both silently reply.

**THE END**


End file.
